The new Commissioner of Police, Murtala Muhammed International Airport Command, Mr. Taiwo Lakanu has pledged the determination of the command to collaborate with airlines to improve security at the airport.Lakanu made this known when he paid a courtesy visit to Arik Air and Medview Airline. Specifically, Lakanu said the police would partner the Nigeria Air Force to secure the loopholes found in many places at the airport, adding that the incident of stowaways, incursion of thieves into the cargo area of the airport and also the invasion of different parts of the airport by unauthorised persons would be stopped henceforth.

“The essence of my visit is to establish a relationship to let you know that we will work together. I want you to be free to criticise us. The public is our police. They are supposed to police the police. You are professionals if you notice any excesses you have to draw my attention to it and I will take it up personally. We need to create conducive environment for you people to work. To create enabling environment and the only way we can do it is to make sure that the area is crime free. Here is a technical environment,” he said.

Lakanu said he would fully utilise the strength of the police under his command to prevent crime at the airport.

“If you come to the ramp you will see a lot of policemen there. That has reduced the crowd there and I am going to work with the Nigeria Air Force to make sure we reduce the number of people that have illicit access to the airport; then concerning your own area, whenever you have problem, do not hesitate to call on us. I believe in being proactive instead of being reactive. Let us personalise this relationship for maximum result. It is going to be a better relationship between the police and Arik.”

Lakanu commended the management of the two airlines maintaining their businesses despite the harsh operating environment, pointing out that the challenges in airline operation could discourage anyone that is not prepared to make sacrifices.

The CEO of Medview Airline, Alhaji Muneer Bankole commended the police for their efforts at controlling crimes at the airport, noting that without security people cannot achieve anything at the airport, adding that the airport environment used to be a tourism attraction in the past.

“We want the good, old days to come back. We will support police in any area of assistance. Police welfare is paramount for Nigeria to move forward. In Saudi Arabia it is the police that maintain security and ensure peace. The country does not engage any other body to do this,” Bankole said.

On his part, Managing Director of Arik Air, Chris Ndulue also assured Lakanu that the airline management would work with the police as it has done in the past, remarking that police at the Lagos airport had complained of being kept away from restricted areas of the airport and added that in other parts of the world it is the police that protect every part of the airport.