Unfair FAAN Bashing Over Stowaway Daniel

[Shola Sholaz]

THE stowaway simply known as Daniel recently  hit the touch button for  a media frenzy  when he quietly slipped into the landing gear compartment of an Arik Air aircraft on the runway of the Benin Airport on August 24, 2013.  The aircraft was on its way to Lagos.
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It has been a long time that  the country has witnessed a stowaway incident,  and it seemed almost inevitable that the media would be unable to resist the feast  of sensation presented by Daniel.
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Yet, just as the of stealing of cars is always a risk that car owners have at the back of their minds most of the time, airline operators and pilots are also conscious that stowaways are always a possibility.
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And perhaps, unsurprisingly, another stowaway attempt was made at the same airport on Tuesday, September 3, 2013 but the culprit was promptly arrested by a joint patrol  of FAAN's Aviation Security Services and the Nigerian Air Force.  The trespasser, Mr  Leroy Ugaga, aged about 25,  wanted to gain access to the airside  (runway)  of the Benin Airport.
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Copycat attempts are well known in such cases.
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Predictably, the Daniel  escapade has generated a lot of public commentary accompanied by  finger pointing and blame apportioning.
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Some Nigerians have  put the blame at the door step of FAAN, being the managers of the airport where the incident occurred.  FAAN, through one or two of its concessionaires, also provides security services at the airport terminals— although it is well understood that security is everyone's responsibility.

[Folami David]

All I know is things have to be done the right way for things to get better over here. That is nothing but the truth around here. It has to happen that way.....