• Arik, FAAN trade blames over breach of
security
How did a young boy outsmart security
operatives at the Benin Airport yesterday to
stow away on a commercial flight to Lagos
undetected?
This is one of the questions experts in the
aviation industry and security agencies will
have to find an answer to after the boy was
found on the arrival of the plane at the local
wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja
yesterday.
The development has already sparked
accusations and counter accusations between
Arik Air whose security was breached and the
Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN),
the agency responsible for security in all the
nation’s airports.
The boy, whose name was given as Daniel
Ihekina, hid in the tyre compartment of Arik
Aircraft 5N-MJG, Flight 44 while preparing for
take- off to Lagos at 9am.
The management of the airline attributed the
development to security lapses at the Benin
Airport.
But FAAN countered, saying the airline acted
with impunity on the matter.
On board the plane were several top officials
of the Edo State government.
Passengers aboard the airline were shocked
when security agents found the teenager at the
MMA soon after the aircraft landed.
Though none of the officials at the Benin
Airport agreed to comment on the issue, there
were fears that the boy may have accessed the
tarmac through Akenzua Road axis owing to
lack of perimeter fencing at the airport. A
passenger aboard the plane said: “we were
suspicious in Benin when the plane was about
taking off when we heard a noise as if the tyre
crushed somebody on the ground. Some
people even started shouting ‘Jesus, Jesus,
which suggested that the boy was already
inside the tyre compartment before we left.
“So, we left for Lagos but when we landed at
the Ikeja Airport, the boy came out from the
tyre compartment and everybody started
shouting.
“Seriously speaking, this shows that we have
serious problems with regard to securing our
airports. This is a serious security breach. If
that boy was carrying bomb it means he would
have succeeded in blowing up the plane. How
can somebody be in an aircraft without being
detected? We are in trouble in this country.”
However, Arik Air, in a swift reaction to the
development, blamed it all on security lapses
at the Benin Airport.
It expressed shock at how anyone could beat
aviation security checks at the Benin Airport to
stowaway into the main wheel of its aircraft.
Spokesman for the company, Mr Banji Ola,
said :”The pilot of Arik Air flight W3 544,
departing Benin Airport for Lagos at 9.00am
today (yesterday) 24thAugust, 2013 reported to
the control tower the presence of a strange
boy in the bush about 200 – 300 metres at the
end of runway 23.
“The control tower told the captain that they
were sending security men to the place to
arrest the boy. As the captain was making his
final turn, preparatory for take-off, a cabin
crew called his attention to the information by
some of the passengers that they saw a boy
running towards the airplane. The First Officer
confirmed that they had observed it earlier
and alerted the control tower which responded
that they have sent the patrol team to arrest
the boy. The captain again reported to the
control tower and was informed that the
situation was under control and that he had
been cleared for take-off.
“On arrival at the domestic wing of MMA,
Lagos, a teenage boy, who apparently had
sneaked into the aircraft main wheel well
jumped out and was arrested by Arik personnel
and handed over to FAAN security.”
Managing Director of the airline, Mr. Chris
Ndulue, asked the authorities of FAAN to
“immediately address the problem.”
But speaking for FAAN, Mr Yakubu Dati said
Arik Air was responsible for the breach by not
conducting a check on the plane after the
attention of the crew and ground personnel
was drawn to an abnormally on the tarmac.
The procedure for such infraction, he said, is
for the crew to abort the flight and return to
the apron for check-up.
“It is revealing that Arik Air accepted that their
attention was drawn to the presence of foreign
bodies on the tarmac. Why they ignored this
vital safety precaution reveals their disdain for
following safety procedures,” he said and
warned that FAAN will not tolerate such
infraction from any operator.
He said: “This is arrant display of impunity. The
aircraft should not have taxied further, but
return to the apron until a proper check is
carried out on all parts of the aircraft.
“FAAN will not tolerate such impunity
henceforth from Arik or any airline. Any
violation would be met with applicable
sanctions.”
The suspect is already giving useful
information to security agents on his motive.
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