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Travellers passing by way of the Nnamdi Azikiwe Worldwide Airport (each native and worldwide wings) in Abuja within the final 4 to 5 months would have observed some canines offering additional safety at some key factors. They’re held by uniformed handlers and sniffing by way of travellers’ baggage, crates and cargoes for explosives, weapons, exhausting medicine, meals, foreign money, endangered animal components and different contraband objects inimical to safety.
Traditionally, information have it that canines’ employment in safety lanes has been on a pointy rise since 1974 when a NYPD-owned German Shepherd managed to smell out a bomb that had been stowed inside an plane at New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport, in the end averting catastrophe. Their service ramped up after 9/11.
That is the primary time I’ve seen specialised canines deployed in any Nigerian airport. This can be a good improvement in our safety structure as they’re cost-effective means of detecting safety threats. It’s time this improvement is put within the highlight as a result of canines are way more dependable than even in the present day’s superior know-how for detecting the chemical substances in explosives, prison tendencies and unlawful medicine.
These canines or canines (K9) are endowed with a excessive sense of odor (30 to 40 instances higher than that of people) not solely to determine a good friend or enemy, criminals, tracks and stolen property however extra particularly of their uncanny sense of safety and talent to detect hidden supplies and potential illnesses which are banned in most international locations to go by way of the borders.
So putting this type of safety will go a great distance in defending not solely the travellers but in addition airport employees, airline crews and Nigeria at massive by making certain that no explosive supplies are current on plane or in our airports.
To be particular, I noticed how the canines sniffed the air currents surrounding travellers and their belongings as they handed by way of the Departures and the 2 gates resulting in the Apron in an effort to detect anybody who could also be carrying explosives and cargo containing one. I may say in such a means, that the canine groups help with the effectivity and effectiveness of the airport’s screening operations.
There was one event I noticed the canines suspecting a bag and the handlers and the airport officers needed to transfer the bag right into a search room for additional scrutiny, although I have no idea the end result of the search. Certainly, this deployment and follow is in tandem with worldwide finest practices.
I’m excited that these specialised canines have been launched in at the least one airport within the nation, as it’s going to improve its rankings and certification by the Worldwide Air Transport Affiliation (IATA) and the Worldwide Civil Aviation Group (ICAO).
The intractable safety threats now we have witnessed in Nigeria are telling us that additional safety at delicate public locations like airports can’t be discounted, and we can’t rely utterly on human beings to safeguard each layer, construction or means of safety and security, particularly in delicate locations just like the airports and their environment.
Like comparable modifications or improvements in Nigeria, I’m very certain that the deployment of canines would face some challenges. A good friend of mine informed me what he noticed of how two travellers behaved in his presence, perhaps out of worry. I additionally heard some passengers didn’t need to be searched by canines throughout VIP protocols, particularly on the native wing of the airport. Nonetheless, the additional safety supplied by the canines will go a great distance in offering security and peace of thoughts to travellers.
So, it’s on this context, that public consideration needs to be drawn to the brand new improvement on the airport. The authorities, just like the FAAN, ought to work with the mainstream media and social media to sensitise the general public that after they journey by way of the airport, specialised canines will scent them and their baggage dealt with by a canine crew skilled in cultural/non secular norms.
Because of the sensitivity of the system, there’s a want to coach and scale back public nervousness that the sniffer canines don’t contact individuals however sniff baggage and objects. If they’re carrying items on them, they’ll place the objects on the ground for inspection. However let Nigerians remember that canines are actually essential members of Abuja Airport’s safety ecosystem. Whereas you will need to commend the Nigerian authorities for this intervention, there are extra enhancements anticipated from the authorities.
Because of the nature and traits of their operational safety, there are different areas of the airport I would really like the canines to be prolonged to such because the Arrivals, cargo part, automobile parks, navigation services, unattended automobiles and unattended objects/baggage, and plane sections of the airport. They will additionally conduct random proactive patrols across the airport atmosphere, at check-in counters, screening factors, and gate lounges. Different worldwide airports that deal with massive numbers of passengers just like the Murtala Mohammed Worldwide Airport in Ikeja, Port Harcourt Worldwide Airport, Mallam Aminu Kano Worldwide Airport in Kano and Akanu Ibiam Worldwide Airport in Enugu are in want of this additional safety.
The topmost necessity on this additional safety is the ever-busy Murtala Mohammed Worldwide, which is the flagship border (ports of entry and exit) of the nation that handles the best variety of passengers and cargoes. It shouldn’t be assumed that since Nigeria has not witnessed severe terrorist mishaps in and round its airports, then there isn’t a want for additional safety assisted by canines. However there’s a formidable menace to our borders by perpetrators of nefarious actions comparable to non-state actors and different criminals. ‘
Dr Babatunde is a peacebuilder and safety analyst; wrote through [email protected]
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