Nigeria May Issue Additional Scrutiny for Shoes, Phones at Airports

  Nigeria and other African countries may go along with the US to demand additional scrutiny of shoes and phones for airlines that operate in and out of the country in response to intelligence reports of increased threats from Al-Qaeda-affiliated militant groups. With the rise in the use of smart phones and mobile devices it is expected that there will be greater scrutiny for these gadgets at Nigeria’s international gateways. Additionally, the screening of passengers as well as phones and shoes will continue at the arrival airports in the US. Aviation security expert and Chairman of Scope Centre Limited, Adebayo Babatunde expressed the hope that the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) would take the matter seriously. He said, “I know that Uganda has stepped up security at its airports in the face of these threats and I hope Nigeria is also doing the same. FAAN should acquire sophisticated security equipment to secure the airports from attacks and it has to train and retain its aviation security personnel. This issue is about deploying the most sophisticated technology and intelligence to protect passengers and other airport users.”