The Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, has revealed that the Office of the National Security Adviser is currently training personnel from the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Nigeria Customs Service, and the Nigeria Immigration Service in preparation for the deployment of 1,000 body cameras.
This initiative aims to curb the harassment and extortion of travellers by airport officials and enhance overall security at major airports across the nation.
Keyamo made this known during an interview with Aise TV on Tuesday.
The Minister emphasized the collaborative efforts between the Ministry and the National Security Adviser (NSA).
“We are the landlords of the airports, so we are working with the National Security Advisor,” he said. “As “I speak with you, the NSA has obtained 1,000 body cams. Training is ongoing. We want to equip them with body cams. These body cams are like CCTV cameras as they are going to be on live transmission to a Command Center.”
Keyamo noted that the body cams will enable real-time monitoring through a newly established command center, designed to oversee activities at the airports.
With the live transmission capability, the authorities believe this will enhance transparency in operations, deter incidents of extortion, and improve the safety of travellers.
Keyamo assured that the government is “moving with the speed of light” towards implementing this technology, and Nigerians would soon witness a notable improvement in airport security.
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The ongoing training aims to familiarize FAAN, Customs, and Immigration personnel with the technology before the official rollout.
“We have shared those 1,000 body cameras between FAAN, Immigration, Customs, and I think one other agency or so,” said Keyamo.
He added that the short-term solution for travellers experiencing harassment involves direct contact lines at the airport.
“If you go to the International Airport in Lagos, we have put phone numbers and a code for people to scan immediately when they are being harassed,” he explained.
This initiative comes in response to rising concerns about the behaviour of some airport officials, which has tainted the experiences of travellers.
According to Keyamo, while FAAN is the primary body overseeing airport operations, the majority of complaints stem from other agencies such as the Nigeria Customs Service, Immigration, and others.
This inter-agency cooperation is expected to address these issues and restore traveller confidence in Nigeria’s airport services.
With the anticipated full deployment of the body cams, the federal government believes this will serve as a long-term solution to reduce corruption and enhance transparency.