By Ime Akpan
Lagos
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCCA) has reviewed aviation security programme (ASP) and approved security arrangements for 22 Airports in Nigeria.
The spokesman for the agency, Mr. Fan Ndubuoke, said yesterday in a in a press statement issued in Lagos that the ASP would provide measures and procedures for safeguarding the airports, aircraft, crew and properties against acts of unlawful interference.
He said the ASP was done in line with the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulation (NCAR) Part 17 requirements and the National Civil Aviation Security Programme (NCASP).
He added that the review “is carried out intermittently and subject to International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) amendment of Annex 17 in response to the global threat to civil aviation.”
Besides, Ndubuoke said the security programmes was reviewed taking cognizance of the prevailing local threats adding that “this will lead to further examination of NCASP or security directives to the industry.
He explained that the security programmes were prepared by airports, airline operators, ground handling firms and other stakeholders at the airports and thereafter submitted to NCAA which he described as the “appropriate authority responsible for aviation security in the country”.
“NCAA provides guidelines for the development of the ASP which is a requirement of ICAO Annex 17 standard 3.2.1 and 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,” said Ndubuoke.
Ndubuoke also disclosed that wholesale security audit had been conducted on 18 foreign and local airlines operating in the country.
