The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), a key United Nations body overseeing global air travel standards, has dispatched a team of experts to Nigeria for comprehensive security evaluations at two major airports.
The audit, focusing on critical aviation security aspects, including Inflight Security, Passenger and Baggage Security, Acts of Unlawful Interference, Facilitation, Legislation, Training, Quality Control Function, Operations, and Cargo, Mail, and Catering, will be conducted at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.
Under the 2024 ICAO Universal Security Audit Programme through Continuous Monitoring Approach, both Lagos and Abuja airports have come under scrutiny.
The announcement of this audit was made in a statement released by Michael Achimugu, the Director of Public Affairs & Consumer Protection, on Monday. The four-member team leading the assessment includes Callum Vine as the team lead, accompanied by James Mabala, Tebogo Mphela, and Alagie Jeng.
Scheduled to last nearly two weeks, the USAP CMA audit is set to conclude on March 22, 2024.
Festus Keyamo, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, emphasized the audit’s importance in upholding the highest security standards within Nigeria’s aviation industry. He highlighted the audit as a coordinated effort aimed at maintaining top-notch security standards across the nation’s aviation sector.
Nigeria’s proactive approach aims to strengthen its defenses against emerging threats and vulnerabilities through rigorous assessments, comprehensive evaluations, and collaborative partnerships within the aviation industry.