By Ime Akpan
Lagos
The federal government has directed all the military and civilian protocol officials to stay away from all the restricted areas including the arrival and baggage halls at the five international airports located in Lagos, Port Harcourt, Enugu, Abuja and Kano.
The chairman, presidential Committee on Airport Security, Prof. Sylvester Monye, who stated this at a press conference held yesterday at the international wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, said as from May 1, 2014, any civilian or military protocol official who flouts the presidential directive would be arrested.
He said personnel drawn from the military and the police would be set up and empowered to enforce the order which he said would affect aides to governors and other dignitaries as well as military and para-military personnel.
Monye said the federal government was concerned about the security situation at the five international airports adding that the directive “is aimed at ensuring sanity, security and global best practices at all international airports in Nigeria.”
“Over the years, it was the practice of government protocol officials, aides of dignitaries, protocol officers of private companies, unauthorized and un-uniformed military and security officials to move unhindered in restricted areas of our airports. This unwholesome milling around in the immigration and customs areas is a threat to national security. A stop will be put to the practice forthwith,” he said.
