FAAN bans luggage screening at MMIA departure hall

Published June 7, 2017

Maureen Ihua-Maduenyi

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria says checking of travellers luggage will no longer be done at the departure hall of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

The Managing Director, FAAN, Mr. Saleh Dunoma, said this was part of the plan to ensure the implementation of the Executive Order recently issued by the Acting President Yemi Osinbajo.

Dunoma made this known after a meeting with all the participating agencies at the airport on Tuesday.

“The Executive Order does not give room for pre-checks on luggage. All checks should be done in designated areas. Luggage should not be checked at the departure hall,” he said.

Dunoma added that there would be no compromise with the procedures and that whatever security procedure or security checks the agency would adopt would not be compromised.

He said, “We have to meet the deadline set by the Executive Order. There are strategies in line with the order, but the concerned agencies need to meet regularly to ensure that these strategies are adhered to and improved.

“Concentration is on the Lagos airport because it is the key airport due to its size, complexity and passenger traffic. If we get it right in Lagos, we will get it right in other airports. Once we do that, I believe all the other airports will be easy for us.”

Dunoma stated that the participating agencies, including the Nigeria Police, Department of State Security, Quarantine Services, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Nigeria Immigration Services, Nigeria Customs Services and FAAN Aviation Security, among others, would implement the directive successfully.

“All participating agencies are ready to key into this big committee set up for the implementation. Everybody is contributing positively. From all indications, all hands are on deck to make sure the Executive Order is implemented successfully. FAAN does not envisage any problem at all, and it is fully committed to give all participating agencies its full support to close any obstacle that may arise,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority has directed all aviation safety inspectors to monitor the level of compliance with the Executive Order at the airports, in addition to their statutory oversight responsibilities.

According to the agency, the directive given by the Director-General, NCAA, Capt. Muhtar Usman, is enshrined in the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations, 2015 (Nig.CARs 2015).

The NCAA said it had also put in place adequate measures to ensure full and sustained compliance with the Executive Orders at the airports.

The regulatory agency said in a statement signed by its General Manager, Public Relations, Mr. Sam Adurogboye, that all aviation parastatals under the Federal Ministry of Aviation, including the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, Nigeria Meteorological Agency and Accident Investigation Bureau, had since commenced compliance with the orders.

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