By Dickson Omobola
Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, has warned passengers against carrying hazardous materials onto aircraft, saying such actions could compromise flight safety.
FAAN Managing Director, Mrs Olubunmi Kuku, expressed concern over two incidents where passengers attempted to board aircraft with acidic substances and other prohibited items at Abuja and Kano airports.
Addressing newsmen in Lagos, she said there was a need for harmonisation and strict adherence to established guidelines for the handling and packaging of dangerous goods.
Her words: “I believe we had two situations in Abuja and Kano airports. In Abuja, we had a passenger who came into the terminal with items. The aviation security officers had asked her if what she had was acidic in nature.
“The passenger was livid. She was upset. In fact, I understand she slapped some FAAN security officers that were there who restrained themselves because her question back to them is why should I have acid? Even the passengers sometimes do not understand what is classified as prohibited materials or what are dangerous goods.
“Communication is critical and an understanding of the various security agencies that we have within the airport environment and the role that each agency or each organization plays.
“Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, released a new version or an updated version of the National Facilitation Program, which is actually headed by the Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority. That program is actually domesticated at the airport level by our airport managers.
“We are also now extending it to not just the security agencies that operate under FAAN but to all of the security agencies within the environment. I know they all have their own individual protocol, but whatever we are extending within our environment, we think that it is important that we hammer it in as well.”
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