Festus Keyamo, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, has authorised the dissolution of the security joint inspection table to curb unethical behaviour and needless passenger delays at Nigerian airports, particularly during the Yuletide season.
According to Keyamo’s post on X on Thursday, the move was made to reduce the threat of traveller harassment by different government entities.
“Yesterday, I approved some far-reaching measures by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to curb the menace of different government agencies stationed at our international airports harassing travellers,” he wrote. Too many complaints have been received, so it’s time to take decisive action!
The decision was also included in a position paper signed by the minister and dated December 2nd, which was written by Olubunmi Kuku, the managing director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria.
“As we collectively work towards building a safer, more efficient, and passenger-friendly airport environment,” the paper states, the FAAN MD, who designated the recently approved position as Operation AirClean, urged all stakeholders, airport users, and the general public to collaborate and support the initiative.
This coincided with demands by industry participants to decrease the quantity of physical inspections at the airport, arguing that they lead to delays and hence impact travellers’ experiences at Nigerian airports.
“Technology and cameras will now handle physical checks and multiple searches by some security personnel whose duties are thought to overlap,” Kuku said.
According to the FAAN chief, the decision was made during a high-level meeting with the agency’s senior management and security chiefs.
“The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria is steadfast in its commitment to attaining world-class standards in service delivery, security, and passenger satisfaction across its managed airports,” the position paper states.
To address significant issues at the General Aviation Terminal and Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Operation Air Clean was initiated after an emergency high-level meeting that was convened by the Managing Director and attended by FAAN Directors, Heads of Agencies, and the HQ Taskforce.
These actions, which have the full support of the Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, aim to eradicate unethical behaviour, stop illegal activity, and improve the travel experience, especially during the busy end-of-year travel season.
“Elimination of Joint Inspection Tables; Immediate Dissolution of Joint Inspection Tables by Security Agencies” was one of the listed resolutions for the MMIA.”
Additionally, in order to minimise roadblocks for people leaving the country, Keyamo granted the request for the Department of State Security Services and Immigration Service staff to share counters.
According to the document, “Customs will move to the aviation security point for money declaration.”
