NSA Dismisses Threats To Airports, NSCDC Fortifies Internal Security

The Office of the National Security Adviser and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps have assured Nigerians that there is no form of threat to the nation’s airports.

The NSCDC Commandant-General, Dr Ahmed Audi, also stated that a highly coordinated approach had been put in place to protect airport facilities across the country, adding that the necessary manpower and equipment had been mobilised.

The NSA in a statement on Thursday said it merely sent an advisory to security agencies to liaise with airport management to upgrade existing security measures at the nation’s airports.

ONSA described the advisory as a “routine threat assessment” to ensure the preparedness of all relevant agencies.

The clarifications were made in a statement by the Head of Strategic Communication in the Office of the NSA, Mr Zakari Usman.

The ONSA reassured the public and all aviation stakeholders of the safety of the nation’s airports.

The statement said, “The attention of the Office of the National Security Adviser has been drawn to reports of a threat to the nation’s airports from an internal government correspondence.

“The correspondence was a routine threat assessment to ensure the preparedness of agencies and not meant for public dissemination.

“In the period covered by the correspondence, threat analysis identified the need to advise airports’ management nationwide to upgrade existing security measures around the nation’s airports.

“Regrettably, the unauthorised release of this advisory is likely to raise fear among airport users home and abroad.

“Accordingly, this statement is issued to reassure the public and all aviation stakeholders of the safety of our airports.”

On his part, the NSCDC boss, Audi, said the corps had liaised with the airport’s management authorities and other relevant stakeholders to fortify the internal security mechanism of the facilities.

In a statement on Thursday by the NSCDC spokesman, Olusola Odumosu, the CG called on all Nigerians to see the security of the nation as everyone’s business.

It stated, “The corps has given the marching order to all concerned State Commandants to adequately deploy operatives from specialised units such as Counter-Terrorism, Anti-Vandalism, Crisis and Disaster Management as well as Intelligence and Surveillance personnel for covert operations to all the airports in the country.”