That shameful Lagos airport security breach

The porous state of the country’s airports, manifested again last week with the news of the security breach recorded at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, the supposed number one gateway in the country.

Though not the first of its kind, the latest security breach became more shocking in view of the nearly 100 per cent ability of the fellow behind it to achieve his purpose.

Prior to the latest incident, the Lagos airport, though grappling with its challenges, with normer activities ongoing until the news broke out of how an unknown able bodied man beat all the security network at the airport to not only stroll  majestically to the restricted part of the airport unhindered, but went as far as climbing the wing of an Azman airline ready to operate into Port Harcourt with passengers fully seated on board.

As the state of lawlessness and insecurity continues with no end in sight, it’s only wise for the proactive government agencies like the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to gird  its loins against any attack or untoward attempt by undesirable elements waiting to explore the insecurity to launch any attack.

Sadly, it is doubtable if FAAN, the organisation of government on whose shoulder lies the responsibility of managing the 22 airports across the country, can cope with the protection and securing of lives and properties within the airports.

With the latest breach, It’s either the authority has run out of idea of what to do or has been so overwhelmed in the face of challenges that has gone to sleep.

How can it be explained that as big as the Lagos airport is, with security personnel and gadgets said to be installed therein, somebody could walk freely for some meters and enter inside the engine of an aircraft taxing to take-off with passengers and eventually the said person crawled out of the engine and climbed on aircraft’s wing to announce to the whole world that he has made a point.

The ability of the intruder to pass through all those processes unnoticed or undetected by the security personnel and the gadgets, has no doubt cast aspersions on the pro-activeness of FAAN, particularly its security department.

Though, the airport had in the past recorded similar breaches,  the most shocking and embarrassing of them is the latest coming at a critical time in the history of Nigeria when there is an ongoing apprehension over insecurity around the country including the airports and the aviation sector at large.

• Nigerian airports are ready for Sallah ― FAAN

Last week’s incident which has been attracting criticisms from different interest groups became more worrisome following the revelation of the intruder as a citizen of the Republic of Niger which has therefore put a question mark on the level of intelligence gathering of the airport security network.

Though FAAN has since come out to announce the suspension of the security personnel on duty on the day in question, but this looked rather like a face saving measure which can be described as medicine after death.

Though the intruder is said to be undergoing interrogation at the police custody presently, it is uncertain if anything tangible will come out of the investigation based on past experience.

Among the questions calling for answers include; how the man climbed the wing of the plane, how he got to the aircraft holding point, who helped him to get that far, what is the state of functionality of the security gadgets installed at the airport, how about the competence of the personnel vis a vis their loyalty/patriotism and those aiding and abetting in airport incursions.

While FAAN should count itself lucky that nothing catastrophic happened in the breaches so far recorded, this has again brought to the fore the urgent need for its present management to take seriously the issue of insider threat and background data checks on all those working in the airport airside and security controlled areas.

The suspension of its staff on duty on the day the breach took place is the least of what is required. Let there be construction of perimeter fences around the airports, installation of functional security gadgets with adequate security patrol. The shame of last week should not be allowed to rear its head again.