The Federal Government has given approval for security operatives at the nation's airports across the country to carry arms.
Hadi Sirika, Minister of State for Aviation, disclosed this on Wednesday while briefing State House correspondents on the outcome of the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari.
The minister stated that the approval for the aviation security personnel to bear arms was granted by President Buhari last week in demonstration of the seriousness of the current administration on aviation security.
He said: "We are very serious about aviation security, just last week the President approved that aviation security should bear arms.
"So we are trying to make them take the form and shape of TSA (Transportation Security Administration) of the US with K-9 dogs, handcuffs, the guards, the batons, light weapons, etc."
Sirika also stated that the Ministery of Interior is partnering with Aviation Ministry and other stakeholders to keep the nation's airports secure.
On the planned shut down of Abuja airport for six weeks for maintenance work, he said the action was inevitable in order to prevent a total collapse of the infrastructure.
He added that though the entire period of maintenance work would be six months, the airport would be open to traffic after the initial six weeks of commencement of work.
According to Sirika also, FEC approved the completion of Kaduna airport terminal building at a reviewed contract sum of N1.1 billion.
He noted that the project was originally awarded for N500 million in 2011 but worked stopped as the contractor discovered a major structural damage to the building, which necessitated the contract variation.
The aviation minister said a second runway would be built soon in Abuja airport through concession, while a new national carrier in which the Federal Government would control only three percent equity would take off before the end of this year.
Also speaking at the press briefing, Abdulrahman Dambazzau, Interior Minister disclosed that FEC had given approval for procurement of equipment for the Nigeria Fire Service.
According to him, all the fire fighting equipment currently at the disposal of the service were obsolete as they were purchased as far back as 1993.
He, however did not disclosed how much was approved for the procurement.
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