By OLUSEGUN KOIKI, Lagos

In a bid to ensure improved safety at the airside of the nation’s airports, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has restricted drivers without the mandatory airline airside training or receive adequate certification from driving at that point of airport.

FAAN also said that it would no longer take lightly any act of violation of this directive from any organisation in the sector in the interest of safety, urging companies operating in the sector to send their airside personnel who may want to drive vehicles at the airside to its training school for knowledge and appropriate certification.

A statement by Mrs. Henrietta Yakubu, the General Manager, Corporate Communication, FAAN, said that the move was to prevent repeat of an incident involving a customs official at the airside of the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA), Lagos.

Recall that in late December, an airside mishap was averted at the Lagos airport when a speeding vehicle belonging to Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) had a near collision with a Dana Air plane taxiing to take off on Runway 18L of the airport.

The unfortunate incident occurred barely one week after a landing Max Air jet almost rammed into a malfunctioning car being tested on Runway 18L.

The Dana Air aircraft was taxiing to join Runway 18L for take-off when the speeding car almost rammed into it.

The angry pilot was said to have immediately called the Lagos airport control tower to report the incident.

Yakubu stated that with this directive, all airline officials, security agencies, ground handling companies, and other stakeholders are put on notice to ensure that their officials, that have airside related roles, and will need to drive, are sent to FAAN’S training department to undergo this mandatory training before been assigned to duty.

”The authority will no longer take lightly any act of violation of this directive, in the interest of safety,” the statement added. (Daily Independent)