The federal government has concluded plans to install customized explosives and narcotics screening machines in five International airports in Nigeria.
The Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo disclosed this after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on Monday, revealing that the government has earmarked N3.28 billion for the project.
The airports where the machines will be installed are, Lagos, Abuja, Kano, Port Harcourt and Enugu International Airports,
The minister said that the decision of the government followed the numerous complaints by travelers in Nigeria who encounter plethora of physical searches by many security agencies at the airports. The project according to the minister is expected to be concluded within 12 months.
He said,
“Since I came to office, we have been inundated with the harrowing experience that passengers go through at the airports where they have to physically search their bags.
“You see various agencies lined up and they will be dipping their hands into your bags.
“We thought we should do something like you have the TSA in America where you have detection machines so when you pass your bags through their machines, they detect explosives and any other thing and that’s the end of the search,’’
Also, Keyamo announced that the FEC has ratified the Bilateral Air Service Agreement with the Republic of Guyana, which was signed in 2014. The new agreement will impact on the cost of travelling to Europe from Nigeria as they will now enjoy lesser travel time.
