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Gbenga Olowo, President Aviation Round Table (ART).
An aviation think tank. Aviation Round Table (ART) has thrown its weight behind the Federal Government”s approval of providing firearms to personnel of Aviation Security (AVSEC), Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).
A statement by the spokesman of ART, Olumide Ohunayo said the arming of the airport security personnel would enhance our national civil aviation security program (NCASP).
According to ART, “The primary objective of AVSEC is the protection and safety of passengers, crew, ground personnel, aircraft and facilities serving civil aviation against act of unlawful interference in sterile areas of airport therefore the participation of other security agencies are inevitable in the airport security network”.
The group however advised for a strong review security design in the sector to accommodate inputs of other sister security agecies.
“Consequent to this approval we strongly advise a review of the airport security architecture to cover elements of the various security agencies which will now form the new organogram”
It added that this will eliminate interagency rivalry currently witnessed in the sector.
“This will eliminate inter agency rivalry, foster cooperation, provide common platform to asses measure of effectiveness, process operational effectiveness and after action plans”.ART suggested.
The group insisted that the seconded personnel from other agencies should remain under the administration of their parent agencies even as it however, suggested that they should be under the operations of AVSEC.
“Please note that they administratively remain under their parent agencies but under the operational command and control of the new Airport Security Architecture,” it suggested..
Ohunayo further added, “Furthermore, ART as a body will advise that selected men to bear arms be properly trained and tested in rudiment areas of arms handling, standard armoury and trained armourer for safe keeping of ammunitions while necessary procedure for issuance, retrieval and accountability of expended rounds if necessary be put in place.
“In the 90s we delegated and rotated the heads of security agencies serving in the airports to supervise and control night operations which is akin to the United States TSA model.
“Security threats have evolved we as a nation are challenged to find the nexus and best fit security architecture as our security challenges cannot be the same with other nations,
Therefore we cannot lift models hook line and sinker”.
