Giade, who was represented by the Commander of
the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency,
NDLEA, at the Murtala Muhammed International
Airport in Lagos, Southwest Nigeria, said Nigerian
airlines must "take all necessary steps to prevent
drug trafficking in the country".
"Section 25 of the NDLEA Act states that it shall
be the duty of every commercial carrier to take
reasonable precaution to ensure that its means of
transport are not used in the commission of
offences under this Act. They are to comply with
appropriate security measures at points of entry
and exit in the Federal Republic of Nigeria and
other customs control areas, to prevent
unauthorised cargo in its means of
transportation," NDLEA told airlines at a meeting
on Thursday.
The agency explained that such precautions as
contained in the Act include training of personnel
to identify suspicious consignment or persons,
promotion of integrity of their personnel and
submission of cargo manifests in advance. Others
are use of tamper-resistant, individually verifiable
seals on containers and reporting to the agency at
the earliest opportunity all suspicious
circumstances relating to drug trafficking.
NDLEA Head of Public Affairs, Mitchell Ofoyeju,
disclosed that the Arik crew member that was
found in possession of cigarettes has been released
and is helping NDLEA officers in the on-going
investigation.
The airlines through their representatives pledged
their full cooperation to security measures taken
by authorities in the course of investigation.
The crew member allegedly found with 6kg of
substance suspected to be cocaine is still being
quizzed in London.
Since the incident on Tuesday, security checks on
airline officials have been intensified at the
nation's airports as well all entry and exit points.
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