FAAN bans luggage screening at MMIA departure hall

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, has announced the ban of luggage screening by Customs officials and other
Airport officials at the departure hall of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

In a statement released by FAAN’s acting general manager, Henrietta Yakubu, the Managing Director of FAAN, Saleh Dunoma, said this was in line with the Executive
Order recently issued by the Acting President Yemi Osinbajo when he paid an unscheduled visit to the airport in April.

Read the statement after the cut…
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has announced its pledge to an uncompromised implementation of Executive Order as directed by the Acting
President of Nigeria, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo.

The Managing Director and Chief Executive, Engr. Saleh Dunoma made this known after
a meeting with all the participating agencies at the committee level set up to
fast track the implementation of the Order at the Murtala Muhammed International
Airport, Lagos today.

“As indicated by the Executive Order, there will be no compromise with the
procedures. This means whatever security procedure or security checks we adopt, will not be compromised. I told them that we
have to meet the deadline set by the Executive Order. They have mapped out their strategy in line with the Order, but they need to meet regularly to ensure that
this strategy is adhere to and improved”.

Concentration is on Lagos Airport because it is the key airport, due to its size, complexity and passenger traffic. If we get
it right in Lagos, we will get it right in other airports. Once we do that, I believe all the other airports will be easy for us. The
participating agencies are: Nigeria Police Force, Directorate of State Security, Quarantine Services, Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Nigerian Immigration
Services, Nigeria Customs Services, FAAN Aviation Security amongst others. I am confident that other participating agencies
will support FAAN efforts to achieve success in the deadline and implementation.

All participating agencies are ready to key into this big committee set up for the
implementation. Everybody is contributing positively. From all indications, all hands are
on deck to make sure the Executive Order is implemented successfully. FAAN does not
envisage any problem at all, and it is fully committed to give all participating agencies its full support to close any obstacle that
may arise.

The Executive Order does not give room for pre-checks on luggage. All checks should be done in designated areas. Luggage should
not to be checked at the departure hall. On the sustainability of the Executive Order:
“Once it is implemented, it must be sustained that is why everybody must own
it. The agencies are sitting together now to make sure that they own the Executive
Order. Once you own it then, it will be sustained”.