…Gets travellers’ commendations as international terminal building is rid of touts
In continuation of the efforts of Management of Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to rid airports across the country of extortion, bribery and touting, the Joint Aviation Security Task Force has increased patrol and surveillance exercises at Murtala Muhammed International Airport Lagos.
The joint security task Force which was made up of personnel from Nigerian Air Force, Department of State Security (DSS) and Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria Aviation Security (FAAN AVSEC) got the commendations of travellers and airport users as the terminal building was rid of touts.
The team was seeing moving around without molesting any passenger or anyone around the airport even as they denied entry to persons suspected of wanting to enter the airport terminal without any known means of identification or mission other than to tout.
The security operatives who displayed enough professionalism at handling the situation were seeing turning back persons who wanted to enter the terminal without their On Duty Cards (ODCs) or a reasonable means of identification, from terminal building.
Also touts who had gained entry into the terminal building before the commencement of the exercise, were directed to leave the terminal building without any form of molestation or intimidation.
Our correspondent who witnessed the operation, reported that a lot of travellers commended the security operatives for the manner with which the exercise was handled without anyone feeling molested or intimidated.
Confirming the patrol, FAAN said it was part of the routine security operations in the airport.
“What took place was a routine Security operation by a Joint Aviation Security Task Force comprising personnel from Aviation Security (Avsec), Department of Security Services (DSS) and Nigerian Air Force (NAF) to rid the airport of touts and miscreants, in accordance with Standards and Recommended Practices,” said FAAN.
It would be recalled that a worker of Arik Air was arrested at the General Aviation Terminal ( GAT) of the airport recently, for extorting a passenger.
In a swift response, management of the airline which commended the efforts of FAAN to rid airports across the country of criminals, said the suspect has been suspended immediately from her job even as further internal investigation continues.
It is also noted that as yuletide season approaches miscreants always find their ways into airports across the nation to commit all manners of crimes.
To nib the activities of the miscreants in the bud as yuletide approaches, FAAN at a meeting of its top management team, has vowed to increase patrol, surveillance and carry out regular raids to rid airports across the nation of touts and other miscreants.
