Igbafe Albert Afegbai, a retired Assistant Commissioner of Police, is the director in charge of the directorate of Aviation Security Services (AVSEC) at the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN). In this interview with SHOLA ADEKOLA, he speaks on the recent establishment of a task force team and the unveiling of 120 armed FAAN AVSEC Special Elite Squad to combat criminal activities across the country’s airports and other security issues. Excerpt:
What informed the decision of FAAN to create a special task force despite existence of multiple security agencies at the airports?
The formation on the squad is not to undermine the security we already have but it is just to improve on the security mostly on the perimeter fencing areas. More often than not we have a lot of incursions from the perimeter area. Look at Lagos, especially in Ejigbo axis, there are a lot of dilapidated structures around the fence through where intruders gain access to the airport to steal. I don’t think there will be any clash because everyone has their duties.
Custom has its duties to check for unauthorised duty-bound items. The police we have here are the bomb unit. We have the NCDC, Civil Defence, the Air Force. The Air Force has a joint patrol with the Aviation Security. So I don’t think there will be any clash just like the Civil Defence was created many years ago and they have not had any clash with the police. Everybody has its distinctive work and most of all the armed unit are not for the internal usage of the terminals. They are not for the internal but external.
In Nigeria, what people fear mostly is when they see you with arms, so all these touting, illegal parking, drivers coming to struggle passengers, troublesome passengers, those are the things we want to look at.
Has there been a reduction in security incursion at Lagos airport?
Before the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) audit, a lot of improvements were made, especially a lot of CCTV cameras were put in place. We had blind spots where there were no CCTV cameras which we have done. We bought more than 400 CCTV cameras. We installed serviceable cameras both at the perimeter fences and other areas. They are being controlled. We have the control room established and the Emergency Operation Control room (EOC) being manned by AVSEC and the Fire Service.
When we came onboard, we saw a lot of operational vehicles which were down, which we have rehabilitated and put to use with the AVSEC. This enables AVSEC have up to 24-hour patrol around the perimeter, the landside and airside. A lot of security measures were put in place.
So far, the ministry and Managing Director pushed for the approval of 3,000 walkie-talkies, out of which we have been supplied 500. What we want to do is we want to make sure every AVSEC personnel and the Fire Service all have personal walkie-talkies. This is for the ease of communication.
Are abandoned aircraft a security threat to airports?
If you noticed, three weeks ago, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Barrister Festus Keyamo, the Managing Director, Mrs Olubunmi Kikuyus, myself and some of the directors went to the graveyard where the abandoned aircrafts are. The minister gave a marching order that they be removed and put in a secured place from there but the aircrafts are owned by organisations and they are not things we are at liberty to deal with or discard. Before issues can be made with regards to disposition of the aircraft, it has to be by court order because you don’t just dispose of someone’s property or he will come out and sue you.
What is the state of the probe of 2022 theft of ILS at Lagos airport?
The Instrument Landing System (ILS) stealing happened before we came on board. After we came on board, we introduced the system of patrol measures including the Air Force and AVSEC. The people behind missing runway light were sanctioned. At the time the incident happened, some of the AVSEC personnel were dismissed and some were relieved of their duties. If I can remember the CoS was relieved and replaced and the new person is still there. So, some measures were taken by the FAAN management.
What efforts are being made to enforce uniformity amongst AVSEC officials?
When I came onboard, we wrote for uniforms but incidentally, when the paper got to procurement department, I realised we have three 40 feet containers of uniforms abandoned in the Wharf for 11 months. So, we are in the process of clearing it to know what we have. The new uniform, when I came onboard, I found out it was not gazetted, so no one can do it without question but now they are about to be gazetted.
The way it is now, we have uniforms for office personnel, there are some for tactical squads. We will have light uniforms for Fridays like t-shirts, combat shirts and face caps to make it easy and a little bit relaxed. In a couple of months you would see the uniforms.