Minister Allays Fear Over Bombing of Lagos Airport As A Result of Underground Car Park Reopening Orders Made

Minister of Aviation, Mrs. Stella Odua, has dismissed fears that the nation's busiest airport, the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos would be bombed by the Muslim religious sect, Boko Haram or any other person or persons.

The fear was heightened when she ordered the reopening of the 700-car capacity abandoned underground parking lot at the basement of the international terminal of the airport as users of the facility say the park would pose security threat, which was the main reason why it was closed during the late General Sani Abacha regime.

But the Minister's decision to reopen the park was informed by the report that there is inadequate car park at the international wing of the airport as there is growing passengers' movement and therefore increased movement of vehicles and attendant request for more parking spaces.

But ever since the Minister ordered that the parking lot, which has been out of use since 1997, be reopened to ease parking space constraints as well as serve as a revenue generating avenue for government, fears have been expressed in some quarters that the place could become a safe haven for bombers to plant their explosive devices.

Odua explained that the matter was well thought out before she gave the directive for its reopening, stressing that security of lives, cars and the entire building was considered before she directed the revamping of the park.

The Minister explained that before the park would be reopened to the public for use, it has to be fully rehabilitated, with the installation of Close Circuit Cameras (CCTV) as part of the security measures that would be employed to secure the premises.

She added that bomb and explosive detectors as well as scanning machines would be stationed at all entrances and gates to screen all vehicles going in and out of the underground parks.
The Minister also stated that it is not only the parking lot that would be secured, saying the entire airports across the country would equally be fully equipped with security gadgets to take care of security of lives and property.

Odua said that the decision to rehabilitate the abandoned park was in line with her vision to encourage the parastatals under her Ministry to embrace innovative ways of management, noting that it would help boost their internally generated revenue (IGR).

Credit: Thisday

July 2011