On Saturday, a youngster named
Daniel Ihekina successfully stowed away in the wheel well of an Arik Air plane
5N-MJG at the Benin City Airport. How he successfully breached the airport’s
several security layers and survived the 35-minute Benin City-Lagos flight
remains a puzzle. Ironically, it was the same day that a carnival of sorts was
playing out at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, where the minister
of aviation and the leading lights of the south-east were celebrating the
opening of the airport to direct flights by Ethiopian Airways from Addis Ababa.
Buck-passing between Arik Air
management whose plane was involved with the Benin City incident and the
Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) is unnecessary. Clearly, FAAN
should take the blame because its job includes maintenance of security in all
of the nation’s airports. We agree with Arik Air spokesman Mr Banji Ola,
who attributed the development to security lapses at the Benin Airport:
“The pilot of Arik Air flight W3 544, departing Benin Airport for Lagos at
9:00am on 24th August, 2013, reported to the control tower the presence of a
strange boy in the bush about 200-300 metres at the end of Runway 23. The
control tower told the captain that they were sending security men to the place
to arrest the boy. As the captain was making his final turn, preparatory for
take-off, a cabin crew called his attention to the information by some of the
passengers that they saw a boy running towards the airplane. The captain again
reported to the control tower and was informed that the situation was under
control and that he had been cleared for take-off.”
FAAN spokesman Yakubu Dati said that
Arik Air was responsible for the breach by not conducting a check on the plane
after the attention of the crew and ground personnel was drawn to an
abnormality on the tarmac. The procedure for such infraction, he said, is for
the crew to abort the flight and return to the apron for check-up. Yet, Arik Air
is known to enjoy a high reputation in security matters. In addition to the
screening of passengers by FAAN security personnel, the airline always carries
out secondary screening of all passengers and its aircraft prior to boarding of
any of its flights. Its security profilers have been trained in the latest
technique of screening passengers. The airline has won awards for security
consciousness.
The sobering reality is that, had
the teenager that stowed away been carrying bombs with a terrorist intent, the
current buck-passing wouldn’t have assuaged the ensuing tragedy. Lack of
airport perimeter fences aids this kind of breach. Clearly there is something
fundamentally wrong with a country that permits such serial security breaches
in the high-value turf of air transportation. In May 2010, a taxi driver broke
through the security cordon at the Margaret Ekpo Airport, Calabar, and ran his
cab into a fully boarded Arik Air Boeing 737-700 NG aircraft. Earlier, an
international flight touching down at the Port Harcourt International Airport
had run into a herd of cattle on the airport’s tarmac; a disaster was averted
by the quick thinking of the pilot and providence.
It is beyond dispute that merely
hoping that our airport security will improve and come at par with
international best practice is not enough. Hope is not a plan. The Benin
Airport incident should be thoroughly investigated and appropriate sanctions
meted out to defaulters.
http://leadership.ng/news/260813/breach-aviation-security-again
Source: Leadership Newspapers Editorial
On
Saturday, a youngster named Daniel Ihekina successfully stowed away in
the wheel well of an Arik Air plane 5N-MJG at the Benin City Airport.
How he successfully breached the airport’s several security layers and
survived the 35-minute Benin City-Lagos flight remains a puzzle.
Ironically, it was the same day that a carnival of sorts was playing out
at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, where the minister of
aviation and the leading lights of the south-east were celebrating the
opening of the airport to direct flights by Ethiopian Airways from Addis
Ababa.
Buck-passing between Arik Air management whose plane was involved
with the Benin City incident and the Federal Airports Authority of
Nigeria (FAAN) is unnecessary. Clearly, FAAN should take the blame
because its job includes maintenance of security in all of the nation’s
airports. We agree with Arik Air spokesman Mr Banji Ola, who attributed
the development to security lapses at the Benin Airport: “The pilot of
Arik Air flight W3 544, departing Benin Airport for Lagos at 9:00am on
24th August, 2013, reported to the control tower the presence of a
strange boy in the bush about 200-300 metres at the end of Runway 23.
The control tower told the captain that they were sending security men
to the place to arrest the boy. As the captain was making his final
turn, preparatory for take-off, a cabin crew called his attention to the
information by some of the passengers that they saw a boy running
towards the airplane. The captain again reported to the control tower
and was informed that the situation was under control and that he had
been cleared for take-off.”
FAAN spokesman Yakubu Dati said that Arik Air was responsible for the
breach by not conducting a check on the plane after the attention of
the crew and ground personnel was drawn to an abnormality on the tarmac.
The procedure for such infraction, he said, is for the crew to abort
the flight and return to the apron for check-up. Yet, Arik Air is known
to enjoy a high reputation in security matters. In addition to the
screening of passengers by FAAN security personnel, the airline always
carries out secondary screening of all passengers and its aircraft prior
to boarding of any of its flights. Its security profilers have been
trained in the latest technique of screening passengers. The airline has
won awards for security consciousness.
The sobering reality is that, had the teenager that stowed away been
carrying bombs with a terrorist intent, the current buck-passing
wouldn’t have assuaged the ensuing tragedy. Lack of airport perimeter
fences aids this kind of breach. Clearly there is something
fundamentally wrong with a country that permits such serial security
breaches in the high-value turf of air transportation. In May 2010, a
taxi driver broke through the security cordon at the Margaret Ekpo
Airport, Calabar, and ran his cab into a fully boarded Arik Air Boeing
737-700 NG aircraft. Earlier, an international flight touching down at
the Port Harcourt International Airport had run into a herd of cattle on
the airport’s tarmac; a disaster was averted by the quick thinking of
the pilot and providence.
It is beyond dispute that merely hoping that our airport security
will improve and come at par with international best practice is not
enough. Hope is not a plan. The Benin Airport incident should be
thoroughly investigated and appropriate sanctions meted out to
defaulters.
- See more at: http://leadership.ng/news/260813/breach-aviation-security-again#sthash.gwnywjFc.dpuf
On
Saturday, a youngster named Daniel Ihekina successfully stowed away in
the wheel well of an Arik Air plane 5N-MJG at the Benin City Airport.
How he successfully breached the airport’s several security layers and
survived the 35-minute Benin City-Lagos flight remains a puzzle.
Ironically, it was the same day that a carnival of sorts was playing out
at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, where the minister of
aviation and the leading lights of the south-east were celebrating the
opening of the airport to direct flights by Ethiopian Airways from Addis
Ababa.
Buck-passing between Arik Air management whose plane was involved
with the Benin City incident and the Federal Airports Authority of
Nigeria (FAAN) is unnecessary. Clearly, FAAN should take the blame
because its job includes maintenance of security in all of the nation’s
airports. We agree with Arik Air spokesman Mr Banji Ola, who attributed
the development to security lapses at the Benin Airport: “The pilot of
Arik Air flight W3 544, departing Benin Airport for Lagos at 9:00am on
24th August, 2013, reported to the control tower the presence of a
strange boy in the bush about 200-300 metres at the end of Runway 23.
The control tower told the captain that they were sending security men
to the place to arrest the boy. As the captain was making his final
turn, preparatory for take-off, a cabin crew called his attention to the
information by some of the passengers that they saw a boy running
towards the airplane. The captain again reported to the control tower
and was informed that the situation was under control and that he had
been cleared for take-off.”
FAAN spokesman Yakubu Dati said that Arik Air was responsible for the
breach by not conducting a check on the plane after the attention of
the crew and ground personnel was drawn to an abnormality on the tarmac.
The procedure for such infraction, he said, is for the crew to abort
the flight and return to the apron for check-up. Yet, Arik Air is known
to enjoy a high reputation in security matters. In addition to the
screening of passengers by FAAN security personnel, the airline always
carries out secondary screening of all passengers and its aircraft prior
to boarding of any of its flights. Its security profilers have been
trained in the latest technique of screening passengers. The airline has
won awards for security consciousness.
The sobering reality is that, had the teenager that stowed away been
carrying bombs with a terrorist intent, the current buck-passing
wouldn’t have assuaged the ensuing tragedy. Lack of airport perimeter
fences aids this kind of breach. Clearly there is something
fundamentally wrong with a country that permits such serial security
breaches in the high-value turf of air transportation. In May 2010, a
taxi driver broke through the security cordon at the Margaret Ekpo
Airport, Calabar, and ran his cab into a fully boarded Arik Air Boeing
737-700 NG aircraft. Earlier, an international flight touching down at
the Port Harcourt International Airport had run into a herd of cattle on
the airport’s tarmac; a disaster was averted by the quick thinking of
the pilot and providence.
It is beyond dispute that merely hoping that our airport security
will improve and come at par with international best practice is not
enough. Hope is not a plan. The Benin Airport incident should be
thoroughly investigated and appropriate sanctions meted out to
defaulters.
- See more at: http://leadership.ng/news/260813/breach-aviation-security-again#sthash.gwnywjFc.dpuf
On
Saturday, a youngster named Daniel Ihekina successfully stowed away in
the wheel well of an Arik Air plane 5N-MJG at the Benin City Airport.
How he successfully breached the airport’s several security layers and
survived the 35-minute Benin City-Lagos flight remains a puzzle.
Ironically, it was the same day that a carnival of sorts was playing out
at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, where the minister of
aviation and the leading lights of the south-east were celebrating the
opening of the airport to direct flights by Ethiopian Airways from Addis
Ababa.
Buck-passing between Arik Air management whose plane was involved
with the Benin City incident and the Federal Airports Authority of
Nigeria (FAAN) is unnecessary. Clearly, FAAN should take the blame
because its job includes maintenance of security in all of the nation’s
airports. We agree with Arik Air spokesman Mr Banji Ola, who attributed
the development to security lapses at the Benin Airport: “The pilot of
Arik Air flight W3 544, departing Benin Airport for Lagos at 9:00am on
24th August, 2013, reported to the control tower the presence of a
strange boy in the bush about 200-300 metres at the end of Runway 23.
The control tower told the captain that they were sending security men
to the place to arrest the boy. As the captain was making his final
turn, preparatory for take-off, a cabin crew called his attention to the
information by some of the passengers that they saw a boy running
towards the airplane. The captain again reported to the control tower
and was informed that the situation was under control and that he had
been cleared for take-off.”
FAAN spokesman Yakubu Dati said that Arik Air was responsible for the
breach by not conducting a check on the plane after the attention of
the crew and ground personnel was drawn to an abnormality on the tarmac.
The procedure for such infraction, he said, is for the crew to abort
the flight and return to the apron for check-up. Yet, Arik Air is known
to enjoy a high reputation in security matters. In addition to the
screening of passengers by FAAN security personnel, the airline always
carries out secondary screening of all passengers and its aircraft prior
to boarding of any of its flights. Its security profilers have been
trained in the latest technique of screening passengers. The airline has
won awards for security consciousness.
The sobering reality is that, had the teenager that stowed away been
carrying bombs with a terrorist intent, the current buck-passing
wouldn’t have assuaged the ensuing tragedy. Lack of airport perimeter
fences aids this kind of breach. Clearly there is something
fundamentally wrong with a country that permits such serial security
breaches in the high-value turf of air transportation. In May 2010, a
taxi driver broke through the security cordon at the Margaret Ekpo
Airport, Calabar, and ran his cab into a fully boarded Arik Air Boeing
737-700 NG aircraft. Earlier, an international flight touching down at
the Port Harcourt International Airport had run into a herd of cattle on
the airport’s tarmac; a disaster was averted by the quick thinking of
the pilot and providence.
It is beyond dispute that merely hoping that our airport security
will improve and come at par with international best practice is not
enough. Hope is not a plan. The Benin Airport incident should be
thoroughly investigated and appropriate sanctions meted out to
defaulters.
- See more at: http://leadership.ng/news/260813/breach-aviation-security-again#sthash.gwnywjFc.dpuf
On
Saturday, a youngster named Daniel Ihekina successfully stowed away in
the wheel well of an Arik Air plane 5N-MJG at the Benin City Airport.
How he successfully breached the airport’s several security layers and
survived the 35-minute Benin City-Lagos flight remains a puzzle.
Ironically, it was the same day that a carnival of sorts was playing out
at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, where the minister of
aviation and the leading lights of the south-east were celebrating the
opening of the airport to direct flights by Ethiopian Airways from Addis
Ababa.
Buck-passing between Arik Air management whose plane was involved
with the Benin City incident and the Federal Airports Authority of
Nigeria (FAAN) is unnecessary. Clearly, FAAN should take the blame
because its job includes maintenance of security in all of the nation’s
airports. We agree with Arik Air spokesman Mr Banji Ola, who attributed
the development to security lapses at the Benin Airport: “The pilot of
Arik Air flight W3 544, departing Benin Airport for Lagos at 9:00am on
24th August, 2013, reported to the control tower the presence of a
strange boy in the bush about 200-300 metres at the end of Runway 23.
The control tower told the captain that they were sending security men
to the place to arrest the boy. As the captain was making his final
turn, preparatory for take-off, a cabin crew called his attention to the
information by some of the passengers that they saw a boy running
towards the airplane. The captain again reported to the control tower
and was informed that the situation was under control and that he had
been cleared for take-off.”
FAAN spokesman Yakubu Dati said that Arik Air was responsible for the
breach by not conducting a check on the plane after the attention of
the crew and ground personnel was drawn to an abnormality on the tarmac.
The procedure for such infraction, he said, is for the crew to abort
the flight and return to the apron for check-up. Yet, Arik Air is known
to enjoy a high reputation in security matters. In addition to the
screening of passengers by FAAN security personnel, the airline always
carries out secondary screening of all passengers and its aircraft prior
to boarding of any of its flights. Its security profilers have been
trained in the latest technique of screening passengers. The airline has
won awards for security consciousness.
The sobering reality is that, had the teenager that stowed away been
carrying bombs with a terrorist intent, the current buck-passing
wouldn’t have assuaged the ensuing tragedy. Lack of airport perimeter
fences aids this kind of breach. Clearly there is something
fundamentally wrong with a country that permits such serial security
breaches in the high-value turf of air transportation. In May 2010, a
taxi driver broke through the security cordon at the Margaret Ekpo
Airport, Calabar, and ran his cab into a fully boarded Arik Air Boeing
737-700 NG aircraft. Earlier, an international flight touching down at
the Port Harcourt International Airport had run into a herd of cattle on
the airport’s tarmac; a disaster was averted by the quick thinking of
the pilot and providence.
It is beyond dispute that merely hoping that our airport security
will improve and come at par with international best practice is not
enough. Hope is not a plan. The Benin Airport incident should be
thoroughly investigated and appropriate sanctions meted out to
defaulters.
- See more at: http://leadership.ng/news/260813/breach-aviation-security-again#sthash.gwnywjFc.dpuf
On
Saturday, a youngster named Daniel Ihekina successfully stowed away in
the wheel well of an Arik Air plane 5N-MJG at the Benin City Airport.
How he successfully breached the airport’s several security layers and
survived the 35-minute Benin City-Lagos flight remains a puzzle.
Ironically, it was the same day that a carnival of sorts was playing out
at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, where the minister of
aviation and the leading lights of the south-east were celebrating the
opening of the airport to direct flights by Ethiopian Airways from Addis
Ababa.
Buck-passing between Arik Air management whose plane was involved
with the Benin City incident and the Federal Airports Authority of
Nigeria (FAAN) is unnecessary. Clearly, FAAN should take the blame
because its job includes maintenance of security in all of the nation’s
airports. We agree with Arik Air spokesman Mr Banji Ola, who attributed
the development to security lapses at the Benin Airport: “The pilot of
Arik Air flight W3 544, departing Benin Airport for Lagos at 9:00am on
24th August, 2013, reported to the control tower the presence of a
strange boy in the bush about 200-300 metres at the end of Runway 23.
The control tower told the captain that they were sending security men
to the place to arrest the boy. As the captain was making his final
turn, preparatory for take-off, a cabin crew called his attention to the
information by some of the passengers that they saw a boy running
towards the airplane. The captain again reported to the control tower
and was informed that the situation was under control and that he had
been cleared for take-off.”
FAAN spokesman Yakubu Dati said that Arik Air was responsible for the
breach by not conducting a check on the plane after the attention of
the crew and ground personnel was drawn to an abnormality on the tarmac.
The procedure for such infraction, he said, is for the crew to abort
the flight and return to the apron for check-up. Yet, Arik Air is known
to enjoy a high reputation in security matters. In addition to the
screening of passengers by FAAN security personnel, the airline always
carries out secondary screening of all passengers and its aircraft prior
to boarding of any of its flights. Its security profilers have been
trained in the latest technique of screening passengers. The airline has
won awards for security consciousness.
The sobering reality is that, had the teenager that stowed away been
carrying bombs with a terrorist intent, the current buck-passing
wouldn’t have assuaged the ensuing tragedy. Lack of airport perimeter
fences aids this kind of breach. Clearly there is something
fundamentally wrong with a country that permits such serial security
breaches in the high-value turf of air transportation. In May 2010, a
taxi driver broke through the security cordon at the Margaret Ekpo
Airport, Calabar, and ran his cab into a fully boarded Arik Air Boeing
737-700 NG aircraft. Earlier, an international flight touching down at
the Port Harcourt International Airport had run into a herd of cattle on
the airport’s tarmac; a disaster was averted by the quick thinking of
the pilot and providence.
It is beyond dispute that merely hoping that our airport security
will improve and come at par with international best practice is not
enough. Hope is not a plan. The Benin Airport incident should be
thoroughly investigated and appropriate sanctions meted out to
defaulters.
- See more at: http://leadership.ng/news/260813/breach-aviation-security-again#sthash.gwnywjFc.dpuf
On
Saturday, a youngster named Daniel Ihekina successfully stowed away in
the wheel well of an Arik Air plane 5N-MJG at the Benin City Airport.
How he successfully breached the airport’s several security layers and
survived the 35-minute Benin City-Lagos flight remains a puzzle.
Ironically, it was the same day that a carnival of sorts was playing out
at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, where the minister of
aviation and the leading lights of the south-east were celebrating the
opening of the airport to direct flights by Ethiopian Airways from Addis
Ababa.
Buck-passing between Arik Air management whose plane was involved
with the Benin City incident and the Federal Airports Authority of
Nigeria (FAAN) is unnecessary. Clearly, FAAN should take the blame
because its job includes maintenance of security in all of the nation’s
airports. We agree with Arik Air spokesman Mr Banji Ola, who attributed
the development to security lapses at the Benin Airport: “The pilot of
Arik Air flight W3 544, departing Benin Airport for Lagos at 9:00am on
24th August, 2013, reported to the control tower the presence of a
strange boy in the bush about 200-300 metres at the end of Runway 23.
The control tower told the captain that they were sending security men
to the place to arrest the boy. As the captain was making his final
turn, preparatory for take-off, a cabin crew called his attention to the
information by some of the passengers that they saw a boy running
towards the airplane. The captain again reported to the control tower
and was informed that the situation was under control and that he had
been cleared for take-off.”
FAAN spokesman Yakubu Dati said that Arik Air was responsible for the
breach by not conducting a check on the plane after the attention of
the crew and ground personnel was drawn to an abnormality on the tarmac.
The procedure for such infraction, he said, is for the crew to abort
the flight and return to the apron for check-up. Yet, Arik Air is known
to enjoy a high reputation in security matters. In addition to the
screening of passengers by FAAN security personnel, the airline always
carries out secondary screening of all passengers and its aircraft prior
to boarding of any of its flights. Its security profilers have been
trained in the latest technique of screening passengers. The airline has
won awards for security consciousness.
The sobering reality is that, had the teenager that stowed away been
carrying bombs with a terrorist intent, the current buck-passing
wouldn’t have assuaged the ensuing tragedy. Lack of airport perimeter
fences aids this kind of breach. Clearly there is something
fundamentally wrong with a country that permits such serial security
breaches in the high-value turf of air transportation. In May 2010, a
taxi driver broke through the security cordon at the Margaret Ekpo
Airport, Calabar, and ran his cab into a fully boarded Arik Air Boeing
737-700 NG aircraft. Earlier, an international flight touching down at
the Port Harcourt International Airport had run into a herd of cattle on
the airport’s tarmac; a disaster was averted by the quick thinking of
the pilot and providence.
It is beyond dispute that merely hoping that our airport security
will improve and come at par with international best practice is not
enough. Hope is not a plan. The Benin Airport incident should be
thoroughly investigated and appropriate sanctions meted out to
defaulters.
- See more at: http://leadership.ng/news/260813/breach-aviation-security-again#sthash.gwnywjFc.dpuf
On
Saturday, a youngster named Daniel Ihekina successfully stowed away in
the wheel well of an Arik Air plane 5N-MJG at the Benin City Airport.
How he successfully breached the airport’s several security layers and
survived the 35-minute Benin City-Lagos flight remains a puzzle.
Ironically, it was the same day that a carnival of sorts was playing out
at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, where the minister of
aviation and the leading lights of the south-east were celebrating the
opening of the airport to direct flights by Ethiopian Airways from Addis
Ababa.
Buck-passing between Arik Air management whose plane was involved
with the Benin City incident and the Federal Airports Authority of
Nigeria (FAAN) is unnecessary. Clearly, FAAN should take the blame
because its job includes maintenance of security in all of the nation’s
airports. We agree with Arik Air spokesman Mr Banji Ola, who attributed
the development to security lapses at the Benin Airport: “The pilot of
Arik Air flight W3 544, departing Benin Airport for Lagos at 9:00am on
24th August, 2013, reported to the control tower the presence of a
strange boy in the bush about 200-300 metres at the end of Runway 23.
The control tower told the captain that they were sending security men
to the place to arrest the boy. As the captain was making his final
turn, preparatory for take-off, a cabin crew called his attention to the
information by some of the passengers that they saw a boy running
towards the airplane. The captain again reported to the control tower
and was informed that the situation was under control and that he had
been cleared for take-off.”
FAAN spokesman Yakubu Dati said that Arik Air was responsible for the
breach by not conducting a check on the plane after the attention of
the crew and ground personnel was drawn to an abnormality on the tarmac.
The procedure for such infraction, he said, is for the crew to abort
the flight and return to the apron for check-up. Yet, Arik Air is known
to enjoy a high reputation in security matters. In addition to the
screening of passengers by FAAN security personnel, the airline always
carries out secondary screening of all passengers and its aircraft prior
to boarding of any of its flights. Its security profilers have been
trained in the latest technique of screening passengers. The airline has
won awards for security consciousness.
The sobering reality is that, had the teenager that stowed away been
carrying bombs with a terrorist intent, the current buck-passing
wouldn’t have assuaged the ensuing tragedy. Lack of airport perimeter
fences aids this kind of breach. Clearly there is something
fundamentally wrong with a country that permits such serial security
breaches in the high-value turf of air transportation. In May 2010, a
taxi driver broke through the security cordon at the Margaret Ekpo
Airport, Calabar, and ran his cab into a fully boarded Arik Air Boeing
737-700 NG aircraft. Earlier, an international flight touching down at
the Port Harcourt International Airport had run into a herd of cattle on
the airport’s tarmac; a disaster was averted by the quick thinking of
the pilot and providence.
It is beyond dispute that merely hoping that our airport security
will improve and come at par with international best practice is not
enough. Hope is not a plan. The Benin Airport incident should be
thoroughly investigated and appropriate sanctions meted out to
defaulters.
- See more at: http://leadership.ng/news/260813/breach-aviation-security-again#sthash.gwnywjFc.dpuf
On
Saturday, a youngster named Daniel Ihekina successfully stowed away in
the wheel well of an Arik Air plane 5N-MJG at the Benin City Airport.
How he successfully breached the airport’s several security layers and
survived the 35-minute Benin City-Lagos flight remains a puzzle.
Ironically, it was the same day that a carnival of sorts was playing out
at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, where the minister of
aviation and the leading lights of the south-east were celebrating the
opening of the airport to direct flights by Ethiopian Airways from Addis
Ababa.
Buck-passing between Arik Air management whose plane was involved
with the Benin City incident and the Federal Airports Authority of
Nigeria (FAAN) is unnecessary. Clearly, FAAN should take the blame
because its job includes maintenance of security in all of the nation’s
airports. We agree with Arik Air spokesman Mr Banji Ola, who attributed
the development to security lapses at the Benin Airport: “The pilot of
Arik Air flight W3 544, departing Benin Airport for Lagos at 9:00am on
24th August, 2013, reported to the control tower the presence of a
strange boy in the bush about 200-300 metres at the end of Runway 23.
The control tower told the captain that they were sending security men
to the place to arrest the boy. As the captain was making his final
turn, preparatory for take-off, a cabin crew called his attention to the
information by some of the passengers that they saw a boy running
towards the airplane. The captain again reported to the control tower
and was informed that the situation was under control and that he had
been cleared for take-off.”
FAAN spokesman Yakubu Dati said that Arik Air was responsible for the
breach by not conducting a check on the plane after the attention of
the crew and ground personnel was drawn to an abnormality on the tarmac.
The procedure for such infraction, he said, is for the crew to abort
the flight and return to the apron for check-up. Yet, Arik Air is known
to enjoy a high reputation in security matters. In addition to the
screening of passengers by FAAN security personnel, the airline always
carries out secondary screening of all passengers and its aircraft prior
to boarding of any of its flights. Its security profilers have been
trained in the latest technique of screening passengers. The airline has
won awards for security consciousness.
The sobering reality is that, had the teenager that stowed away been
carrying bombs with a terrorist intent, the current buck-passing
wouldn’t have assuaged the ensuing tragedy. Lack of airport perimeter
fences aids this kind of breach. Clearly there is something
fundamentally wrong with a country that permits such serial security
breaches in the high-value turf of air transportation. In May 2010, a
taxi driver broke through the security cordon at the Margaret Ekpo
Airport, Calabar, and ran his cab into a fully boarded Arik Air Boeing
737-700 NG aircraft. Earlier, an international flight touching down at
the Port Harcourt International Airport had run into a herd of cattle on
the airport’s tarmac; a disaster was averted by the quick thinking of
the pilot and providence.
It is beyond dispute that merely hoping that our airport security
will improve and come at par with international best practice is not
enough. Hope is not a plan. The Benin Airport incident should be
thoroughly investigated and appropriate sanctions meted out to
defaulters.
- See more at: http://leadership.ng/news/260813/breach-aviation-security-again#sthash.gwnywjFc.dpuf
On
Saturday, a youngster named Daniel Ihekina successfully stowed away in
the wheel well of an Arik Air plane 5N-MJG at the Benin City Airport.
How he successfully breached the airport’s several security layers and
survived the 35-minute Benin City-Lagos flight remains a puzzle.
Ironically, it was the same day that a carnival of sorts was playing out
at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, where the minister of
aviation and the leading lights of the south-east were celebrating the
opening of the airport to direct flights by Ethiopian Airways from Addis
Ababa.
Buck-passing between Arik Air management whose plane was involved
with the Benin City incident and the Federal Airports Authority of
Nigeria (FAAN) is unnecessary. Clearly, FAAN should take the blame
because its job includes maintenance of security in all of the nation’s
airports. We agree with Arik Air spokesman Mr Banji Ola, who attributed
the development to security lapses at the Benin Airport: “The pilot of
Arik Air flight W3 544, departing Benin Airport for Lagos at 9:00am on
24th August, 2013, reported to the control tower the presence of a
strange boy in the bush about 200-300 metres at the end of Runway 23.
The control tower told the captain that they were sending security men
to the place to arrest the boy. As the captain was making his final
turn, preparatory for take-off, a cabin crew called his attention to the
information by some of the passengers that they saw a boy running
towards the airplane. The captain again reported to the control tower
and was informed that the situation was under control and that he had
been cleared for take-off.”
FAAN spokesman Yakubu Dati said that Arik Air was responsible for the
breach by not conducting a check on the plane after the attention of
the crew and ground personnel was drawn to an abnormality on the tarmac.
The procedure for such infraction, he said, is for the crew to abort
the flight and return to the apron for check-up. Yet, Arik Air is known
to enjoy a high reputation in security matters. In addition to the
screening of passengers by FAAN security personnel, the airline always
carries out secondary screening of all passengers and its aircraft prior
to boarding of any of its flights. Its security profilers have been
trained in the latest technique of screening passengers. The airline has
won awards for security consciousness.
The sobering reality is that, had the teenager that stowed away been
carrying bombs with a terrorist intent, the current buck-passing
wouldn’t have assuaged the ensuing tragedy. Lack of airport perimeter
fences aids this kind of breach. Clearly there is something
fundamentally wrong with a country that permits such serial security
breaches in the high-value turf of air transportation. In May 2010, a
taxi driver broke through the security cordon at the Margaret Ekpo
Airport, Calabar, and ran his cab into a fully boarded Arik Air Boeing
737-700 NG aircraft. Earlier, an international flight touching down at
the Port Harcourt International Airport had run into a herd of cattle on
the airport’s tarmac; a disaster was averted by the quick thinking of
the pilot and providence.
It is beyond dispute that merely hoping that our airport security
will improve and come at par with international best practice is not
enough. Hope is not a plan. The Benin Airport incident should be
thoroughly investigated and appropriate sanctions meted out to
defaulters.
- See more at: http://leadership.ng/news/260813/breach-aviation-security-again#sthash.gwnywjFc.dpuf
On
Saturday, a youngster named Daniel Ihekina successfully stowed away in
the wheel well of an Arik Air plane 5N-MJG at the Benin City Airport.
How he successfully breached the airport’s several security layers and
survived the 35-minute Benin City-Lagos flight remains a puzzle.
Ironically, it was the same day that a carnival of sorts was playing out
at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, where the minister of
aviation and the leading lights of the south-east were celebrating the
opening of the airport to direct flights by Ethiopian Airways from Addis
Ababa.
Buck-passing between Arik Air management whose plane was involved
with the Benin City incident and the Federal Airports Authority of
Nigeria (FAAN) is unnecessary. Clearly, FAAN should take the blame
because its job includes maintenance of security in all of the nation’s
airports. We agree with Arik Air spokesman Mr Banji Ola, who attributed
the development to security lapses at the Benin Airport: “The pilot of
Arik Air flight W3 544, departing Benin Airport for Lagos at 9:00am on
24th August, 2013, reported to the control tower the presence of a
strange boy in the bush about 200-300 metres at the end of Runway 23.
The control tower told the captain that they were sending security men
to the place to arrest the boy. As the captain was making his final
turn, preparatory for take-off, a cabin crew called his attention to the
information by some of the passengers that they saw a boy running
towards the airplane. The captain again reported to the control tower
and was informed that the situation was under control and that he had
been cleared for take-off.”
FAAN spokesman Yakubu Dati said that Arik Air was responsible for the
breach by not conducting a check on the plane after the attention of
the crew and ground personnel was drawn to an abnormality on the tarmac.
The procedure for such infraction, he said, is for the crew to abort
the flight and return to the apron for check-up. Yet, Arik Air is known
to enjoy a high reputation in security matters. In addition to the
screening of passengers by FAAN security personnel, the airline always
carries out secondary screening of all passengers and its aircraft prior
to boarding of any of its flights. Its security profilers have been
trained in the latest technique of screening passengers. The airline has
won awards for security consciousness.
The sobering reality is that, had the teenager that stowed away been
carrying bombs with a terrorist intent, the current buck-passing
wouldn’t have assuaged the ensuing tragedy. Lack of airport perimeter
fences aids this kind of breach. Clearly there is something
fundamentally wrong with a country that permits such serial security
breaches in the high-value turf of air transportation. In May 2010, a
taxi driver broke through the security cordon at the Margaret Ekpo
Airport, Calabar, and ran his cab into a fully boarded Arik Air Boeing
737-700 NG aircraft. Earlier, an international flight touching down at
the Port Harcourt International Airport had run into a herd of cattle on
the airport’s tarmac; a disaster was averted by the quick thinking of
the pilot and providence.
It is beyond dispute that merely hoping that our airport security
will improve and come at par with international best practice is not
enough. Hope is not a plan. The Benin Airport incident should be
thoroughly investigated and appropriate sanctions meted out to
defaulters.
- See more at: http://leadership.ng/news/260813/breach-aviation-security-again#sthash.gwnywjFc.dpuf
On
Saturday, a youngster named Daniel Ihekina successfully stowed away in
the wheel well of an Arik Air plane 5N-MJG at the Benin City Airport.
How he successfully breached the airport’s several security layers and
survived the 35-minute Benin City-Lagos flight remains a puzzle.
Ironically, it was the same day that a carnival of sorts was playing out
at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, where the minister of
aviation and the leading lights of the south-east were celebrating the
opening of the airport to direct flights by Ethiopian Airways from Addis
Ababa.
Buck-passing between Arik Air management whose plane was involved
with the Benin City incident and the Federal Airports Authority of
Nigeria (FAAN) is unnecessary. Clearly, FAAN should take the blame
because its job includes maintenance of security in all of the nation’s
airports. We agree with Arik Air spokesman Mr Banji Ola, who attributed
the development to security lapses at the Benin Airport: “The pilot of
Arik Air flight W3 544, departing Benin Airport for Lagos at 9:00am on
24th August, 2013, reported to the control tower the presence of a
strange boy in the bush about 200-300 metres at the end of Runway 23.
The control tower told the captain that they were sending security men
to the place to arrest the boy. As the captain was making his final
turn, preparatory for take-off, a cabin crew called his attention to the
information by some of the passengers that they saw a boy running
towards the airplane. The captain again reported to the control tower
and was informed that the situation was under control and that he had
been cleared for take-off.”
FAAN spokesman Yakubu Dati said that Arik Air was responsible for the
breach by not conducting a check on the plane after the attention of
the crew and ground personnel was drawn to an abnormality on the tarmac.
The procedure for such infraction, he said, is for the crew to abort
the flight and return to the apron for check-up. Yet, Arik Air is known
to enjoy a high reputation in security matters. In addition to the
screening of passengers by FAAN security personnel, the airline always
carries out secondary screening of all passengers and its aircraft prior
to boarding of any of its flights. Its security profilers have been
trained in the latest technique of screening passengers. The airline has
won awards for security consciousness.
The sobering reality is that, had the teenager that stowed away been
carrying bombs with a terrorist intent, the current buck-passing
wouldn’t have assuaged the ensuing tragedy. Lack of airport perimeter
fences aids this kind of breach. Clearly there is something
fundamentally wrong with a country that permits such serial security
breaches in the high-value turf of air transportation. In May 2010, a
taxi driver broke through the security cordon at the Margaret Ekpo
Airport, Calabar, and ran his cab into a fully boarded Arik Air Boeing
737-700 NG aircraft. Earlier, an international flight touching down at
the Port Harcourt International Airport had run into a herd of cattle on
the airport’s tarmac; a disaster was averted by the quick thinking of
the pilot and providence.
It is beyond dispute that merely hoping that our airport security
will improve and come at par with international best practice is not
enough. Hope is not a plan. The Benin Airport incident should be
thoroughly investigated and appropriate sanctions meted out to
defaulters.
- See more at: http://leadership.ng/news/260813/breach-aviation-security-again#sthash.gwnywjFc.dpuf
On
Saturday, a youngster named Daniel Ihekina successfully stowed away in
the wheel well of an Arik Air plane 5N-MJG at the Benin City Airport.
How he successfully breached the airport’s several security layers and
survived the 35-minute Benin City-Lagos flight remains a puzzle.
Ironically, it was the same day that a carnival of sorts was playing out
at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, where the minister of
aviation and the leading lights of the south-east were celebrating the
opening of the airport to direct flights by Ethiopian Airways from Addis
Ababa.
Buck-passing between Arik Air management whose plane was involved
with the Benin City incident and the Federal Airports Authority of
Nigeria (FAAN) is unnecessary. Clearly, FAAN should take the blame
because its job includes maintenance of security in all of the nation’s
airports. We agree with Arik Air spokesman Mr Banji Ola, who attributed
the development to security lapses at the Benin Airport: “The pilot of
Arik Air flight W3 544, departing Benin Airport for Lagos at 9:00am on
24th August, 2013, reported to the control tower the presence of a
strange boy in the bush about 200-300 metres at the end of Runway 23.
The control tower told the captain that they were sending security men
to the place to arrest the boy. As the captain was making his final
turn, preparatory for take-off, a cabin crew called his attention to the
information by some of the passengers that they saw a boy running
towards the airplane. The captain again reported to the control tower
and was informed that the situation was under control and that he had
been cleared for take-off.”
FAAN spokesman Yakubu Dati said that Arik Air was responsible for the
breach by not conducting a check on the plane after the attention of
the crew and ground personnel was drawn to an abnormality on the tarmac.
The procedure for such infraction, he said, is for the crew to abort
the flight and return to the apron for check-up. Yet, Arik Air is known
to enjoy a high reputation in security matters. In addition to the
screening of passengers by FAAN security personnel, the airline always
carries out secondary screening of all passengers and its aircraft prior
to boarding of any of its flights. Its security profilers have been
trained in the latest technique of screening passengers. The airline has
won awards for security consciousness.
The sobering reality is that, had the teenager that stowed away been
carrying bombs with a terrorist intent, the current buck-passing
wouldn’t have assuaged the ensuing tragedy. Lack of airport perimeter
fences aids this kind of breach. Clearly there is something
fundamentally wrong with a country that permits such serial security
breaches in the high-value turf of air transportation. In May 2010, a
taxi driver broke through the security cordon at the Margaret Ekpo
Airport, Calabar, and ran his cab into a fully boarded Arik Air Boeing
737-700 NG aircraft. Earlier, an international flight touching down at
the Port Harcourt International Airport had run into a herd of cattle on
the airport’s tarmac; a disaster was averted by the quick thinking of
the pilot and providence.
It is beyond dispute that merely hoping that our airport security
will improve and come at par with international best practice is not
enough. Hope is not a plan. The Benin Airport incident should be
thoroughly investigated and appropriate sanctions meted out to
defaulters.
- See more at: http://leadership.ng/news/260813/breach-aviation-security-again#sthash.gwnywjFc.dpuf
On
Saturday, a youngster named Daniel Ihekina successfully stowed away in
the wheel well of an Arik Air plane 5N-MJG at the Benin City Airport.
How he successfully breached the airport’s several security layers and
survived the 35-minute Benin City-Lagos flight remains a puzzle.
Ironically, it was the same day that a carnival of sorts was playing out
at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, where the minister of
aviation and the leading lights of the south-east were celebrating the
opening of the airport to direct flights by Ethiopian Airways from Addis
Ababa.
Buck-passing between Arik Air management whose plane was involved
with the Benin City incident and the Federal Airports Authority of
Nigeria (FAAN) is unnecessary. Clearly, FAAN should take the blame
because its job includes maintenance of security in all of the nation’s
airports. We agree with Arik Air spokesman Mr Banji Ola, who attributed
the development to security lapses at the Benin Airport: “The pilot of
Arik Air flight W3 544, departing Benin Airport for Lagos at 9:00am on
24th August, 2013, reported to the control tower the presence of a
strange boy in the bush about 200-300 metres at the end of Runway 23.
The control tower told the captain that they were sending security men
to the place to arrest the boy. As the captain was making his final
turn, preparatory for take-off, a cabin crew called his attention to the
information by some of the passengers that they saw a boy running
towards the airplane. The captain again reported to the control tower
and was informed that the situation was under control and that he had
been cleared for take-off.”
FAAN spokesman Yakubu Dati said that Arik Air was responsible for the
breach by not conducting a check on the plane after the attention of
the crew and ground personnel was drawn to an abnormality on the tarmac.
The procedure for such infraction, he said, is for the crew to abort
the flight and return to the apron for check-up. Yet, Arik Air is known
to enjoy a high reputation in security matters. In addition to the
screening of passengers by FAAN security personnel, the airline always
carries out secondary screening of all passengers and its aircraft prior
to boarding of any of its flights. Its security profilers have been
trained in the latest technique of screening passengers. The airline has
won awards for security consciousness.
The sobering reality is that, had the teenager that stowed away been
carrying bombs with a terrorist intent, the current buck-passing
wouldn’t have assuaged the ensuing tragedy. Lack of airport perimeter
fences aids this kind of breach. Clearly there is something
fundamentally wrong with a country that permits such serial security
breaches in the high-value turf of air transportation. In May 2010, a
taxi driver broke through the security cordon at the Margaret Ekpo
Airport, Calabar, and ran his cab into a fully boarded Arik Air Boeing
737-700 NG aircraft. Earlier, an international flight touching down at
the Port Harcourt International Airport had run into a herd of cattle on
the airport’s tarmac; a disaster was averted by the quick thinking of
the pilot and providence.
It is beyond dispute that merely hoping that our airport security
will improve and come at par with international best practice is not
enough. Hope is not a plan. The Benin Airport incident should be
thoroughly investigated and appropriate sanctions meted out to
defaulters.
- See more at: http://leadership.ng/news/260813/breach-aviation-security-again#sthash.gwnywjFc.dpuf
On
Saturday, a youngster named Daniel Ihekina successfully stowed away in
the wheel well of an Arik Air plane 5N-MJG at the Benin City Airport.
How he successfully breached the airport’s several security layers and
survived the 35-minute Benin City-Lagos flight remains a puzzle.
Ironically, it was the same day that a carnival of sorts was playing out
at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, where the minister of
aviation and the leading lights of the south-east were celebrating the
opening of the airport to direct flights by Ethiopian Airways from Addis
Ababa.
Buck-passing between Arik Air management whose plane was involved
with the Benin City incident and the Federal Airports Authority of
Nigeria (FAAN) is unnecessary. Clearly, FAAN should take the blame
because its job includes maintenance of security in all of the nation’s
airports. We agree with Arik Air spokesman Mr Banji Ola, who attributed
the development to security lapses at the Benin Airport: “The pilot of
Arik Air flight W3 544, departing Benin Airport for Lagos at 9:00am on
24th August, 2013, reported to the control tower the presence of a
strange boy in the bush about 200-300 metres at the end of Runway 23.
The control tower told the captain that they were sending security men
to the place to arrest the boy. As the captain was making his final
turn, preparatory for take-off, a cabin crew called his attention to the
information by some of the passengers that they saw a boy running
towards the airplane. The captain again reported to the control tower
and was informed that the situation was under control and that he had
been cleared for take-off.”
FAAN spokesman Yakubu Dati said that Arik Air was responsible for the
breach by not conducting a check on the plane after the attention of
the crew and ground personnel was drawn to an abnormality on the tarmac.
The procedure for such infraction, he said, is for the crew to abort
the flight and return to the apron for check-up. Yet, Arik Air is known
to enjoy a high reputation in security matters. In addition to the
screening of passengers by FAAN security personnel, the airline always
carries out secondary screening of all passengers and its aircraft prior
to boarding of any of its flights. Its security profilers have been
trained in the latest technique of screening passengers. The airline has
won awards for security consciousness.
The sobering reality is that, had the teenager that stowed away been
carrying bombs with a terrorist intent, the current buck-passing
wouldn’t have assuaged the ensuing tragedy. Lack of airport perimeter
fences aids this kind of breach. Clearly there is something
fundamentally wrong with a country that permits such serial security
breaches in the high-value turf of air transportation. In May 2010, a
taxi driver broke through the security cordon at the Margaret Ekpo
Airport, Calabar, and ran his cab into a fully boarded Arik Air Boeing
737-700 NG aircraft. Earlier, an international flight touching down at
the Port Harcourt International Airport had run into a herd of cattle on
the airport’s tarmac; a disaster was averted by the quick thinking of
the pilot and providence.
It is beyond dispute that merely hoping that our airport security
will improve and come at par with international best practice is not
enough. Hope is not a plan. The Benin Airport incident should be
thoroughly investigated and appropriate sanctions meted out to
defaulters.
- See more at: http://leadership.ng/news/260813/breach-aviation-security-again#sthash.gwnywjFc.dpuf
On
Saturday, a youngster named Daniel Ihekina successfully stowed away in
the wheel well of an Arik Air plane 5N-MJG at the Benin City Airport.
How he successfully breached the airport’s several security layers and
survived the 35-minute Benin City-Lagos flight remains a puzzle.
Ironically, it was the same day that a carnival of sorts was playing out
at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, where the minister of
aviation and the leading lights of the south-east were celebrating the
opening of the airport to direct flights by Ethiopian Airways from Addis
Ababa.
Buck-passing between Arik Air management whose plane was involved
with the Benin City incident and the Federal Airports Authority of
Nigeria (FAAN) is unnecessary. Clearly, FAAN should take the blame
because its job includes maintenance of security in all of the nation’s
airports. We agree with Arik Air spokesman Mr Banji Ola, who attributed
the development to security lapses at the Benin Airport: “The pilot of
Arik Air flight W3 544, departing Benin Airport for Lagos at 9:00am on
24th August, 2013, reported to the control tower the presence of a
strange boy in the bush about 200-300 metres at the end of Runway 23.
The control tower told the captain that they were sending security men
to the place to arrest the boy. As the captain was making his final
turn, preparatory for take-off, a cabin crew called his attention to the
information by some of the passengers that they saw a boy running
towards the airplane. The captain again reported to the control tower
and was informed that the situation was under control and that he had
been cleared for take-off.”
FAAN spokesman Yakubu Dati said that Arik Air was responsible for the
breach by not conducting a check on the plane after the attention of
the crew and ground personnel was drawn to an abnormality on the tarmac.
The procedure for such infraction, he said, is for the crew to abort
the flight and return to the apron for check-up. Yet, Arik Air is known
to enjoy a high reputation in security matters. In addition to the
screening of passengers by FAAN security personnel, the airline always
carries out secondary screening of all passengers and its aircraft prior
to boarding of any of its flights. Its security profilers have been
trained in the latest technique of screening passengers. The airline has
won awards for security consciousness.
The sobering reality is that, had the teenager that stowed away been
carrying bombs with a terrorist intent, the current buck-passing
wouldn’t have assuaged the ensuing tragedy. Lack of airport perimeter
fences aids this kind of breach. Clearly there is something
fundamentally wrong with a country that permits such serial security
breaches in the high-value turf of air transportation. In May 2010, a
taxi driver broke through the security cordon at the Margaret Ekpo
Airport, Calabar, and ran his cab into a fully boarded Arik Air Boeing
737-700 NG aircraft. Earlier, an international flight touching down at
the Port Harcourt International Airport had run into a herd of cattle on
the airport’s tarmac; a disaster was averted by the quick thinking of
the pilot and providence.
It is beyond dispute that merely hoping that our airport security
will improve and come at par with international best practice is not
enough. Hope is not a plan. The Benin Airport incident should be
thoroughly investigated and appropriate sanctions meted out to
defaulters.
- See more at: http://leadership.ng/news/260813/breach-aviation-security-again#sthash.gwnywjFc.dpuf
On
Saturday, a youngster named Daniel Ihekina successfully stowed away in
the wheel well of an Arik Air plane 5N-MJG at the Benin City Airport.
How he successfully breached the airport’s several security layers and
survived the 35-minute Benin City-Lagos flight remains a puzzle.
Ironically, it was the same day that a carnival of sorts was playing out
at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, where the minister of
aviation and the leading lights of the south-east were celebrating the
opening of the airport to direct flights by Ethiopian Airways from Addis
Ababa.
Buck-passing between Arik Air management whose plane was involved
with the Benin City incident and the Federal Airports Authority of
Nigeria (FAAN) is unnecessary. Clearly, FAAN should take the blame
because its job includes maintenance of security in all of the nation’s
airports. We agree with Arik Air spokesman Mr Banji Ola, who attributed
the development to security lapses at the Benin Airport: “The pilot of
Arik Air flight W3 544, departing Benin Airport for Lagos at 9:00am on
24th August, 2013, reported to the control tower the presence of a
strange boy in the bush about 200-300 metres at the end of Runway 23.
The control tower told the captain that they were sending security men
to the place to arrest the boy. As the captain was making his final
turn, preparatory for take-off, a cabin crew called his attention to the
information by some of the passengers that they saw a boy running
towards the airplane. The captain again reported to the control tower
and was informed that the situation was under control and that he had
been cleared for take-off.”
FAAN spokesman Yakubu Dati said that Arik Air was responsible for the
breach by not conducting a check on the plane after the attention of
the crew and ground personnel was drawn to an abnormality on the tarmac.
The procedure for such infraction, he said, is for the crew to abort
the flight and return to the apron for check-up. Yet, Arik Air is known
to enjoy a high reputation in security matters. In addition to the
screening of passengers by FAAN security personnel, the airline always
carries out secondary screening of all passengers and its aircraft prior
to boarding of any of its flights. Its security profilers have been
trained in the latest technique of screening passengers. The airline has
won awards for security consciousness.
The sobering reality is that, had the teenager that stowed away been
carrying bombs with a terrorist intent, the current buck-passing
wouldn’t have assuaged the ensuing tragedy. Lack of airport perimeter
fences aids this kind of breach. Clearly there is something
fundamentally wrong with a country that permits such serial security
breaches in the high-value turf of air transportation. In May 2010, a
taxi driver broke through the security cordon at the Margaret Ekpo
Airport, Calabar, and ran his cab into a fully boarded Arik Air Boeing
737-700 NG aircraft. Earlier, an international flight touching down at
the Port Harcourt International Airport had run into a herd of cattle on
the airport’s tarmac; a disaster was averted by the quick thinking of
the pilot and providence.
It is beyond dispute that merely hoping that our airport security
will improve and come at par with international best practice is not
enough. Hope is not a plan. The Benin Airport incident should be
thoroughly investigated and appropriate sanctions meted out to
defaulters.
- See more at: http://leadership.ng/news/260813/breach-aviation-security-again#sthash.gwnywjFc.dpuf
On
Saturday, a youngster named Daniel Ihekina successfully stowed away in
the wheel well of an Arik Air plane 5N-MJG at the Benin City Airport.
How he successfully breached the airport’s several security layers and
survived the 35-minute Benin City-Lagos flight remains a puzzle.
Ironically, it was the same day that a carnival of sorts was playing out
at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, where the minister of
aviation and the leading lights of the south-east were celebrating the
opening of the airport to direct flights by Ethiopian Airways from Addis
Ababa.
Buck-passing between Arik Air management whose plane was involved
with the Benin City incident and the Federal Airports Authority of
Nigeria (FAAN) is unnecessary. Clearly, FAAN should take the blame
because its job includes maintenance of security in all of the nation’s
airports. We agree with Arik Air spokesman Mr Banji Ola, who attributed
the development to security lapses at the Benin Airport: “The pilot of
Arik Air flight W3 544, departing Benin Airport for Lagos at 9:00am on
24th August, 2013, reported to the control tower the presence of a
strange boy in the bush about 200-300 metres at the end of Runway 23.
The control tower told the captain that they were sending security men
to the place to arrest the boy. As the captain was making his final
turn, preparatory for take-off, a cabin crew called his attention to the
information by some of the passengers that they saw a boy running
towards the airplane. The captain again reported to the control tower
and was informed that the situation was under control and that he had
been cleared for take-off.”
FAAN spokesman Yakubu Dati said that Arik Air was responsible for the
breach by not conducting a check on the plane after the attention of
the crew and ground personnel was drawn to an abnormality on the tarmac.
The procedure for such infraction, he said, is for the crew to abort
the flight and return to the apron for check-up. Yet, Arik Air is known
to enjoy a high reputation in security matters. In addition to the
screening of passengers by FAAN security personnel, the airline always
carries out secondary screening of all passengers and its aircraft prior
to boarding of any of its flights. Its security profilers have been
trained in the latest technique of screening passengers. The airline has
won awards for security consciousness.
The sobering reality is that, had the teenager that stowed away been
carrying bombs with a terrorist intent, the current buck-passing
wouldn’t have assuaged the ensuing tragedy. Lack of airport perimeter
fences aids this kind of breach. Clearly there is something
fundamentally wrong with a country that permits such serial security
breaches in the high-value turf of air transportation. In May 2010, a
taxi driver broke through the security cordon at the Margaret Ekpo
Airport, Calabar, and ran his cab into a fully boarded Arik Air Boeing
737-700 NG aircraft. Earlier, an international flight touching down at
the Port Harcourt International Airport had run into a herd of cattle on
the airport’s tarmac; a disaster was averted by the quick thinking of
the pilot and providence.
It is beyond dispute that merely hoping that our airport security
will improve and come at par with international best practice is not
enough. Hope is not a plan. The Benin Airport incident should be
thoroughly investigated and appropriate sanctions meted out to
defaulters.
- See more at: http://leadership.ng/news/260813/breach-aviation-security-again#sthash.gwnywjFc.dpufV
