• Some airport workers sabotage Nigeria, connive with traffickers
• Lagos, Abuja risk downgrade over security breaches The Federal Government’s ambitious plan to grow the local air transport market from $2.5 billion to $14.1 billion in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) contribution yearly may be met with revenue decline and investors’ loss of confidence over a catalogue of safety and security breaches in the sector. The distrust is not unconnected with growing insider threats from some aviation workers, especially those at the restricted areas of the country’s airports – a red flag for high-risk and low-profit-margin global aviation investments. In the last few years, some airlines staff, ground handling companies, aviation agencies and auxiliary companies have been complicit in drug trafficking, money laundering, pilfering and theft of aerodrome assets. Industry experts said growing laxities and inadequate security gadgets at most of the airports negate a globally competitive industry, attracting scarce aviation investors, and achieving a higher revenue status. Recall that the immediate past Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, projected an upswing in GDP contribution from $1.7 billion to approximately $14.16 billion upon the completion of his roadmap projects. Managing Director, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Olubunmi Kuku, recently said that the local industry in the country contributed $1.7 billion in 2024, with the prospects brighter for growth and additional revenue. Latest findings show that the sector, with the addition of its tourism prospects, currently contributes $2.5 billion to the GDP, supporting over 216,700 direct and indirect jobs across the spectrum. Stakeholders are, however, concerned that the anticipated growth may result in a decline with growing cases of insider threats that may force the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to downgrade cash-cow airports like Lagos and Abuja. Insider threat on the prowl
The Executive Summary on International and Domestic Flight Operations from January to December 2024, indicated that no fewer than 996 pilferage, discourtesy and others were recorded by the NCAA, across the country’s airports within the period. About 142 such incidents took place on international flights, while the remaining 854 were on domestic flights. A specific case of insider threat was recorded last month, August 2025, when the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) arrested five suspects, including some airport staff, over drug trafficking at Kano airport. Among the suspects was a 55-year-old kingpin, Mohammed Ali Abubakar (alias Bello Karama). The NDLEA accused the suspects of planting drugs in the checked-in luggage of three Nigerian travellers to Saudi Arabia on August 6, 2025, aboard an Ethiopian Airlines flight, who are presently in detention in Saudi Arabia. Director, Media & Advocacy, NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, told the media that airport staffer Celestina Emmanuel Yayock confessed to checking in two of the illicit consignments for a fee of N100,000, and another suspect, Jazuli Kabir, who checked in two other bags, admitted collecting N100,000 for the job, while Ali Abubakar Mohammed travelled with the other three bags on EgyptAir. Earlier, in 2023, Airfield Lightnings (AFL) of Runway 18 Right of the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA), Lagos were vandalised twice – in May and July. The first part of the airfield system was stolen weeks after rehabilitation work started on the runway, and international flights were diverted to the domestic runway, known as R18L. Personnel on duty, including the Chief of Airport Security, Head of Department (HOD) Electrical and HOD Environment, were all queried. Besides, in January 2020, officials of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Command intercepted $8.06 million (an equivalent of N2.92 billion in 2020) at the Lagos Airport in 20 sealed wraps. The consignment was intercepted at the E-Wing of the tarmac of the Lagos airport. A staff member of a ground handling company was also fingered in this attempt. In December 2018, a Nigerian lady, Zainab Aliyu, was arrested in Saudi Arabia on suspicion of drug trafficking following the discovery of illicit drugs in a tag bearing her name. The lady had boarded an Ethiopian Airlines flight from the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Kano, but was arrested in Saudi Arabia over drug-related issues. However, investigations launched by the various security organisations in Nigeria, including the NDLEA, proved that the drugs were planted in the check-in luggage of the passengers by some airport workers. The accused family’s close relationship with the Federal Government and the diplomatic channel adopted by the government prevented Miss Aliyu from death and ensured her subsequent release from detention in Saudi Arabia. In August 2017, operatives of NDLEA arrested at least six warehouse and tarmac staff, including a female of one of the leading ground handling companies, for their involvement in drug trafficking at the Lagos airport. The arrested staff had attempted to export substances believed to be cocaine out of the country through the airport. Some of the suspects were arrested at the international wing following a tip-off by some security agents to NDLEA. A female staff member of the ground handling company was among those arrested for the crime. Stakeholders blame the system
Commenting on the menace of insider threats in the sector, Grp. Capt. John Ojikutu (retd), aviation security expert, said this had always been part of the global aviation industry, including Nigeria, particularly among the aviation staff like airport air crew, allied services or ground handling services. Ojikutu explained that until about three decades ago, aviation security primarily focused on passengers, but said that the searchlight changed in the 1990s when some of the airports and aircrew were found culpable in acts of unlawful interference with civil aviation. According to him, there had also been issues of “stolen identities” among airport staff in connivance with passengers. Ojikutu, who was a former Military Commandant at the international wing of the Lagos airport, recalled that many criminals were apprehended at the airport during his time. The security expert declared that most of the aviation security authorities lacked the required knowledge on background and security checks on passengers and aviation staff, adding that many of them could not differentiate between risks and threats. He added: “I have many examples at MMIA, but what have been the reactions or solutions to those known to the responsible authorities? While you can focus on the profiles of passengers before selling tickets to them or identify those on the no-fly list or those on the watch-list, you can do the same on airport staff and the allied services. “About 20 years ago, I recommended to FAAN to conduct regular background checks on all the staff who are working in the airport’s security control areas, just the same manner the NCAA conducts periodic audits on its maintenance programmes. “How does a stowaway get to know the hold baggage apartment of an aircraft for hiding? How did he get from the airport to the aircraft holding point? Some in the past have stolen the runway lights and resold them to FAAN. “Has the NDLEA made efforts to find out why the number of arrests is more of outbound drug traffickers than inbound? There had been cases of our technical crew trafficking in drugs. There had been police and customs officers in the past aiding drug traffickers.” Ojikutu also identified multiplicity of security systems under different ministries as one of the reasons for increased insider threats in the sector, stressing that the various security agencies work at cross purposes. Aviation industry expert, Amos Akpan, regretted that insider threats compromise the staff of agencies and companies working within the airport. Akpan explained that the responsibility of the agencies and companies was to carry out background checks of each personnel they intended to recruit in order to determine their potential level of threats to safety in the airport. He maintained that the major culprits in security breaches are agencies or companies that engage such employees, and the aviation security department of the airport management. Akpan maintained that it is the duty of the security department to issue access cards to all personnel who have access to the sensitive security areas in the airport, stressing that the personnel ought to have been profiled, while their security records were supposed to be cross-checked with existing criminal records in the national security apparatus, like the national police records. He added: “Who cleared the baggage/cargo handler, the aircraft handler, into sensitive roles? What monitoring devices are in place to detect infractions or breaches? These are necessary questions for the NCAA and the airport management to address. “Do their employers have an approved security manual? And do their practices meet compliance with what they’ve documented in their approved manuals? “There will always be criminally minded people seeking avenues to breach security protocols in the airports, but there must also be continuous innovative countermeasures against these criminals. These attempts are not limited to Nigerian airports; indeed, it is relatively low within Nigeria compared to reports from other countries.” To minimise the threats, Akpan advocated enhanced installation of equipment for detection, improved perimeter fencing of airports in accordance with prescribed design and materials, while the Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras should also cover every area within the nation’s airports. He also canvassed scheduled periodic audits to ensure compliance by the agency entrusted with security oversight to curb the threat in the sector. “Because the audit will expose gaps and ensure that the gaps are closed. Even the state-owned airports are supposed to have FAAN carry out oversight on their security apparatus for a fee,” he added. Besides, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Nigame Aircraft Consultancy Inc. United States (U.S), Femi Adeniji, posited that Nigeria’s airport security challenge persisted because the system is still based on obsolete infrastructure. Adeniji said that underscores the dependence on human screening, while corrupt employees of the airlines, FAAN and others are all over the sector. He also decried that salaries are unnecessarily delayed, while the system also relegated incentives to encourage good work for exemplary employees. He insisted that it was essential to curb insider threats in Nigeria’s aviation industry by strengthening the recruitment and vetting process, adding that intensive background checks, verification of criminal records up to 10 years, financial records, biometrics and social interactions were all necessary to curb the menace. Adeniji added: “Curbing of the insider threats would improve the national security, the country’s reputation in the outside world, and ensure economic growth. “I also advise the government to introduce a zero-tolerance policy, invest in automated screening of staff Identity daily, monitor staff access patterns both during and off duty and also ensure a secure communication process and policy.” Aviation stakeholder, Capt. Frank Oruye, said that insider threat was real, though not peculiar to Nigeria alone. According to him, one of the common mistakes of the agencies was to relegate services to the lowest grades of employees with little formal education.
• Lagos, Abuja risk downgrade over security breaches The Federal Government’s ambitious plan to grow the local air transport market from $2.5 billion to $14.1 billion in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) contribution yearly may be met with revenue decline and investors’ loss of confidence over a catalogue of safety and security breaches in the sector. The distrust is not unconnected with growing insider threats from some aviation workers, especially those at the restricted areas of the country’s airports – a red flag for high-risk and low-profit-margin global aviation investments. In the last few years, some airlines staff, ground handling companies, aviation agencies and auxiliary companies have been complicit in drug trafficking, money laundering, pilfering and theft of aerodrome assets. Industry experts said growing laxities and inadequate security gadgets at most of the airports negate a globally competitive industry, attracting scarce aviation investors, and achieving a higher revenue status. Recall that the immediate past Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, projected an upswing in GDP contribution from $1.7 billion to approximately $14.16 billion upon the completion of his roadmap projects. Managing Director, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Olubunmi Kuku, recently said that the local industry in the country contributed $1.7 billion in 2024, with the prospects brighter for growth and additional revenue. Latest findings show that the sector, with the addition of its tourism prospects, currently contributes $2.5 billion to the GDP, supporting over 216,700 direct and indirect jobs across the spectrum. Stakeholders are, however, concerned that the anticipated growth may result in a decline with growing cases of insider threats that may force the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to downgrade cash-cow airports like Lagos and Abuja. Insider threat on the prowl
The Executive Summary on International and Domestic Flight Operations from January to December 2024, indicated that no fewer than 996 pilferage, discourtesy and others were recorded by the NCAA, across the country’s airports within the period. About 142 such incidents took place on international flights, while the remaining 854 were on domestic flights. A specific case of insider threat was recorded last month, August 2025, when the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) arrested five suspects, including some airport staff, over drug trafficking at Kano airport. Among the suspects was a 55-year-old kingpin, Mohammed Ali Abubakar (alias Bello Karama). The NDLEA accused the suspects of planting drugs in the checked-in luggage of three Nigerian travellers to Saudi Arabia on August 6, 2025, aboard an Ethiopian Airlines flight, who are presently in detention in Saudi Arabia. Director, Media & Advocacy, NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, told the media that airport staffer Celestina Emmanuel Yayock confessed to checking in two of the illicit consignments for a fee of N100,000, and another suspect, Jazuli Kabir, who checked in two other bags, admitted collecting N100,000 for the job, while Ali Abubakar Mohammed travelled with the other three bags on EgyptAir. Earlier, in 2023, Airfield Lightnings (AFL) of Runway 18 Right of the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA), Lagos were vandalised twice – in May and July. The first part of the airfield system was stolen weeks after rehabilitation work started on the runway, and international flights were diverted to the domestic runway, known as R18L. Personnel on duty, including the Chief of Airport Security, Head of Department (HOD) Electrical and HOD Environment, were all queried. Besides, in January 2020, officials of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Command intercepted $8.06 million (an equivalent of N2.92 billion in 2020) at the Lagos Airport in 20 sealed wraps. The consignment was intercepted at the E-Wing of the tarmac of the Lagos airport. A staff member of a ground handling company was also fingered in this attempt. In December 2018, a Nigerian lady, Zainab Aliyu, was arrested in Saudi Arabia on suspicion of drug trafficking following the discovery of illicit drugs in a tag bearing her name. The lady had boarded an Ethiopian Airlines flight from the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Kano, but was arrested in Saudi Arabia over drug-related issues. However, investigations launched by the various security organisations in Nigeria, including the NDLEA, proved that the drugs were planted in the check-in luggage of the passengers by some airport workers. The accused family’s close relationship with the Federal Government and the diplomatic channel adopted by the government prevented Miss Aliyu from death and ensured her subsequent release from detention in Saudi Arabia. In August 2017, operatives of NDLEA arrested at least six warehouse and tarmac staff, including a female of one of the leading ground handling companies, for their involvement in drug trafficking at the Lagos airport. The arrested staff had attempted to export substances believed to be cocaine out of the country through the airport. Some of the suspects were arrested at the international wing following a tip-off by some security agents to NDLEA. A female staff member of the ground handling company was among those arrested for the crime. Stakeholders blame the system
Commenting on the menace of insider threats in the sector, Grp. Capt. John Ojikutu (retd), aviation security expert, said this had always been part of the global aviation industry, including Nigeria, particularly among the aviation staff like airport air crew, allied services or ground handling services. Ojikutu explained that until about three decades ago, aviation security primarily focused on passengers, but said that the searchlight changed in the 1990s when some of the airports and aircrew were found culpable in acts of unlawful interference with civil aviation. According to him, there had also been issues of “stolen identities” among airport staff in connivance with passengers. Ojikutu, who was a former Military Commandant at the international wing of the Lagos airport, recalled that many criminals were apprehended at the airport during his time. The security expert declared that most of the aviation security authorities lacked the required knowledge on background and security checks on passengers and aviation staff, adding that many of them could not differentiate between risks and threats. He added: “I have many examples at MMIA, but what have been the reactions or solutions to those known to the responsible authorities? While you can focus on the profiles of passengers before selling tickets to them or identify those on the no-fly list or those on the watch-list, you can do the same on airport staff and the allied services. “About 20 years ago, I recommended to FAAN to conduct regular background checks on all the staff who are working in the airport’s security control areas, just the same manner the NCAA conducts periodic audits on its maintenance programmes. “How does a stowaway get to know the hold baggage apartment of an aircraft for hiding? How did he get from the airport to the aircraft holding point? Some in the past have stolen the runway lights and resold them to FAAN. “Has the NDLEA made efforts to find out why the number of arrests is more of outbound drug traffickers than inbound? There had been cases of our technical crew trafficking in drugs. There had been police and customs officers in the past aiding drug traffickers.” Ojikutu also identified multiplicity of security systems under different ministries as one of the reasons for increased insider threats in the sector, stressing that the various security agencies work at cross purposes. Aviation industry expert, Amos Akpan, regretted that insider threats compromise the staff of agencies and companies working within the airport. Akpan explained that the responsibility of the agencies and companies was to carry out background checks of each personnel they intended to recruit in order to determine their potential level of threats to safety in the airport. He maintained that the major culprits in security breaches are agencies or companies that engage such employees, and the aviation security department of the airport management. Akpan maintained that it is the duty of the security department to issue access cards to all personnel who have access to the sensitive security areas in the airport, stressing that the personnel ought to have been profiled, while their security records were supposed to be cross-checked with existing criminal records in the national security apparatus, like the national police records. He added: “Who cleared the baggage/cargo handler, the aircraft handler, into sensitive roles? What monitoring devices are in place to detect infractions or breaches? These are necessary questions for the NCAA and the airport management to address. “Do their employers have an approved security manual? And do their practices meet compliance with what they’ve documented in their approved manuals? “There will always be criminally minded people seeking avenues to breach security protocols in the airports, but there must also be continuous innovative countermeasures against these criminals. These attempts are not limited to Nigerian airports; indeed, it is relatively low within Nigeria compared to reports from other countries.” To minimise the threats, Akpan advocated enhanced installation of equipment for detection, improved perimeter fencing of airports in accordance with prescribed design and materials, while the Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras should also cover every area within the nation’s airports. He also canvassed scheduled periodic audits to ensure compliance by the agency entrusted with security oversight to curb the threat in the sector. “Because the audit will expose gaps and ensure that the gaps are closed. Even the state-owned airports are supposed to have FAAN carry out oversight on their security apparatus for a fee,” he added. Besides, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Nigame Aircraft Consultancy Inc. United States (U.S), Femi Adeniji, posited that Nigeria’s airport security challenge persisted because the system is still based on obsolete infrastructure. Adeniji said that underscores the dependence on human screening, while corrupt employees of the airlines, FAAN and others are all over the sector. He also decried that salaries are unnecessarily delayed, while the system also relegated incentives to encourage good work for exemplary employees. He insisted that it was essential to curb insider threats in Nigeria’s aviation industry by strengthening the recruitment and vetting process, adding that intensive background checks, verification of criminal records up to 10 years, financial records, biometrics and social interactions were all necessary to curb the menace. Adeniji added: “Curbing of the insider threats would improve the national security, the country’s reputation in the outside world, and ensure economic growth. “I also advise the government to introduce a zero-tolerance policy, invest in automated screening of staff Identity daily, monitor staff access patterns both during and off duty and also ensure a secure communication process and policy.” Aviation stakeholder, Capt. Frank Oruye, said that insider threat was real, though not peculiar to Nigeria alone. According to him, one of the common mistakes of the agencies was to relegate services to the lowest grades of employees with little formal education.
He expressed that operatives delivering security clearance services needed to engage in continuous in-service training and refresher courses to stay on top of their game, while they are also reasonably remunerated to encourage them to shun the corruptive influences of criminals.
