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In response to the prevalent security threats in the country, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCCA) has approved security programme for the 22 airports owned by the federal government in line with the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulation Part 17 requirements and the National Civil Aviation Security Programme (NCASP).
The approval is part of efforts by the agency to respond to the security challenges facing the country especially in the wake of breaches at the nation’s airports which indicate that many of them are porous and lack perimeter and security fencing.
There also may be inadequate aviation security personnel, which explains why the airports have not met the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) certification.
According to statement by the NCAA General Manager, Public Affairs, Mr. Fan Ndubuoke, the Airport Security Programme (ASP) is reviewed regularly and subjected to ICAO’s amendment of Annex 17 in response to the global threat to civil aviation.
He said the security programme was reviewed taking cognisance of the prevailing local threats which would give fillip to further examination of NCASP or security directives to the industry.
“Suffice it to say that security programmes are written by airports, aircraft operators, caterers, ground handling companies and other stakeholders. Thereafter, this is submitted to the regulatory authority, NCAA, which is the appropriate authority responsible for aviation security in the country”, he added.
He explained that aviation security programme provides measures and procedures on safeguarding the airport, aircraft, crew and property against acts of unlawful interferences.
“NCAA provides guidelines for the development of the Airport Security Programme, which is a requirement of ICAO Annex 17 standard 3.2.1 which states that each contracting state shall require an airport serving civil aviation to establish, implement and maintain a written airport security programme appropriate to meet the requirements of NCASP,” he said.
Meanwhile, wholesale security audit has been conducted on 18 foreign and local airlines operating in the country.
The audit was based on emerging threats, previous findings and incidents to forestall reoccurrences and the exercise would be carried out annually or bi-annually, depending on current security situation at any time.
The NCAA explained that holders of an approved security programme are periodically audited to ascertain the level of compliance to security guidelines.
Other parameters to be adopted were the NCASP, security directives and other benchmarks.
The authority stated that at the conclusion of the audit, the airlines were mandated to submit a Corrective Action Plan (CAP) outlining measures that would be taken within a specific time frame to address their shortcomings.
To ensure that all operators and stakeholders are in tune with adequate security measures of NCAA, the Aviation Security Unit of the Directorate of Aerodrome and Airport Standards (DAAS) conducts aviation security awareness training for them on regular basis.
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