The House of Representatives has called for tighter security in and around airports across the country for better protection of lives and property of air passengers.
The call followed the unanimous adoption of a motion of urgent public importance moved by a member, Jide Jimoh, at the plenary on Tuesday.
Adopting the motion titled ‘Need to Ensure Strict Security in and Around Our Airports and Other Critical Facilities,’ the House urged the Federal Government to “improve on security standards at the airports, especially exploring technology.”
The lawmakers also urged the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria and other relevant agencies in the aviation sector to “pay more attention to security concern and ensure the lives of citizens are not in any way endangered.”
The House further urged security agencies to “ensure that unscrupulous elements are not allowed to foment trouble in any guise at the airports.”
Jimoh based the motion on an incident that occurred at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja where a passenger aboard an Ibom Air plane on an Abuja-Lagos flight, Obiajulu Uja, on Friday evening protested against inauguration of Bola Tinubu as President on May 29, 2023.
In the viral video that made the rounds on Saturday, Uja was carried off the plane after he started a lone protest, demanding that the President-elect must never be sworn in as President
It took the efforts of no fewer than six airport security officers to evacuate him after holding up the aircraft for more than an hour.
Moving the motion, Jimoh said, “The House notes that a man reportedly caused a stir on an Abuja-Lagos flight over the weekend, thereby holding the aircraft for over an hour as it could not move until operatives of the airport eventually evacuated the man.
“The House further notes that security comes first and there is a need to take permanent and aggressive steps to improve the security of our airports. The event of Friday, March 31, 2023, is a call to take precaution on passengers’ activities in the airports.
“The House is concerned that security at the airports seems relaxed, as the said man should not have been allowed into the aircraft in the first place since reports had been made that the man had allegedly portrayed himself as an irritant around the airport before being cleared into the flight, only for him to constitute himself into a risk.
“The House is further concerned that the lives of the innocent law-abiding citizens on board the aircraft were avoidably endangered by the security breach, whereas the government had the responsibility to protect the citizens at all times.
“The House is convinced that the government or any of its agencies, including the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, will not shy away from its responsibility.”
(Courtesy: The PUNCH)
