ART Commends FG over Arming of AVSEC

The Aviation Roundtable Safety Initiative (ART) has commended the federal government’s approval to arm officials of Aviation Security (AVSEC) at the nation’s airports.

In a statement issued by its spokesman, Mr. Olumide Ohunayo, the body said this was expected to enhance the national civil aviation security program (NCASP).

“We however advise that selected men to bear arms be properly trained and tested in rudiment areas of arms handling, standard armoury and trained armourer for safe keeping of ammunitions, while necessary procedure for issuance, retrieval and accountability of expended rounds if necessary be put in place”.

The ART noted that “consequent to this approval, there should be a review of the airport security architecture to cover elements of the various security agencies which will now form the new organogram.”

According to them, this would eliminate inter agency rivalry, foster cooperation, provide common platform to asses measure of effectiveness, process operational effectiveness and after action plans.

“Please note that they adminis- tratively remain under their parent agencies but under the operational command and control of the new Airport Security Architecture”.

“In the 90s we delegated and rotated the heads of security agencies serving in the airports to supervise and control night operations which is akin to the United States TSA model.

ART said security threats have evolved over time and “we as a nation are challenged to find the nexus and best fit security architecture as our security challenges cannot be the same with other nations, therefore we cannot lift models hook line and sinker.”