• We arrested four in collaboration with FAAN, others, Amotekun confirms
• Security agencies embark on show of force to combat insecurity in Ondo
• Vow to flush out criminals from forests
• Expect more intrusions at airports without adequate perimeter fencing, experts warn

The Ondo State Police Command and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) seem to be on a collision course over the purported arrest of four suspected bandits within the vicinity of the Akure Airport.

The state’s Commissioner of Police, Adebowale Lawal, while faulting the claim of FAAN that Aviation Security (AVSEC) in conjunction with other security agencies arrested four bandits last Sunday within the perimeter of the airport, described the position of FAAN as misleading.

According to the police boss, there was no time bandits or any suspected criminals arrested by AVSEC of the airport.

He stated that a preliminary investigation revealed that the suspects are logistics suppliers aiding kidnap activities within the state.

However, the Amotekun Commander in the state, Adetunji Adeleye, confirmed that “in the initial arrests carried out by Amotekun Corps, the police and officers of FAAN, four suspects were arrested.

Meanwhile, security agencies in Ondo State, yesterday, embarked on a show of force in Akure, the state capital, amid the spate of insecurity facing the state.

The show of force comprised the Police, Army, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and Department of State Services (DSS), as well as the Ondo State Security Network Agency, otherwise known as the Amotekun Corps.

The security chiefs in the state stated that the show of force would send a signal to criminals that there would not be room for them to operate in the state.

According to Adeleye, the Amotekun Corps, alongside other sister security agencies, will ensure that kidnapping, as well as other crimes, are eliminated in the state.

However, aviation security experts have warned that Nigerian airports will continue to experience security breaches and intrusions unless the FAAN urgently strengthens perimeter fencing and surveillance systems in line with global aviation standards.

The experts, in separate interviews with The Guardian in Lagos, said that the reported incident at the airport underlined long-standing concerns about the vulnerability of several airports in the country owing to weak perimeter protection and inadequate monitoring infrastructure.

A former Commandant of Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, John Ojikutu (rtd), said many airports in Nigeria still do not meet the security fencing standards recommended by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

According to him, the absence of standard security fencing makes it easier for intruders to penetrate sensitive areas of the nation’s airports.

Also, aviation professional, Mohammed Badamasi, warned that perimeter fencing alone could not guarantee adequate airport security without supporting surveillance infrastructure.

He said Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) camera systems must form part of the comprehensive airport security architecture.

According to him, the absence of effective perimeter fencing not only exposes airports to intruders but also increases the insurance risk profile of airport facilities.