The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has raised alarm over the violation of security protocols at the Lagos International Airport by security agencies.
FAAN raised the alarm against the backdrop of the recent security breach by customs officers attached to the Area Comptroller Customs Hajj and Cargo Terminal at the airport.
In a statement, the General Manager, Corporate Affairs, FAAN, Henrietta Yakubu, said customs officers in the entourage of the comptroller shoved aside the Aviation Security, AVSEC Officer at the gate, forcefully taking over and opening the gate for the Comptroller and his escorts to access the Security Restricted Area.
The statement read: “At about 1745hrs on Thursday, January 20, 2022, while the AVSEC officers on day duty at Gate 3 were profiling a NAHCO vehicle that wanted to access the Security Restricted Area (SRA) via gate 3, the Customs Area Comptroller for Hajj and Cargo Terminal suddenly emerged and pulled off behind the NAHCO vehicle that was being attended to and CSC Agunbiade, a customs officer on the Area Comptroller’s entourage later shoved aside the AVSEC Officer at the gate, forcefully took over the gate and opened the gate for the Comptroller and his escorts to forcefully access the Security Restricted Area via the gate”.
According to the statement, while accessing the gate, the armed escorts to the Comptroller threatened to beat up the AVSEC officers at the gate if they dared resist their assault and breach of security.
The statement also said that the blatant “abuse of the privilege of bearing firearms” by the Nigeria Customs Service has “become a recurrent threat to the Safety and Security” of its Staff and operations.
It added that FAAN will “keep on working to resolve” all its challenges decisively, and urge all stakeholders to respect its mandate, and demonstrate discipline and Professionalism in the interest of national security and operational safety.
RN