In continuation of their ongoing collaboration on Aviation Security, the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and the United Kingdom (UK) Department for Transport (DfT) Aviation Security, are held a 3-day Counter Man-Portable Air Defence Systems (MANPADS) Workshop in Abuja from 22-24 July 2024.
The National Coordinator, NCTC, Maj Gen AG Laka, NCTC Officials in a group photograph with the team from and UK Embassy and participants at the Counter MANPADS Workshop
The Workshop was to equip participants who were drawn from the Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) particularly from the Aviation Sector, Security, Defence and Enforcement Agencies as well as the National Counter Terrorism Centre, with general knowledge of the threat from MANPADS and mitigation measures, identification of vulnerable areas and mapping exercise of hotspots, among others.
National Coordinator (Left) presenting a souvenir to one of the representatives of the UK DfT, Mr Jonathan Kendall
In his remarks at the opening ceremony on Monday, the National Coordinator, NCTC-ONSA, Major General AG Laka called for collaboration among all stakeholders in tackling terrorism threats in the aviation sector.
“No agency can solely achieve laudable success in the fight against terrorism, there is therefore the need for us to work together, identifying our crucial roles and collaborating to record great progress in the Country’s aviation security,” he said.
Intelligence, NCTC, Brig A. Adekola, National Coordinator, NCTC, Maj Gen AG Laka, Rep. of the UK DfT, Mr Jonathan Kendall and others, at the workshop
General Laka decried the negative impact of terrorism around the world, especially the use of unmanned aerial vehicles by terrorists, noting that this could only be curtailed through collaboration by aviation security stakeholders.
Also speaking, the Aviation Security Assistance Officer for the Department of Transport at the UK British High Commission, Jonathan Kendall, said the aim of the workshop was to mitigate threats in the aviation sector beyond parameter fence of the airport. “We’re looking to mitigate what we call a standoff threat here. You can secure the terminal building as much as you like. But this counter man portable air defence systems workshop looks at countering the wider threat beyond the perimeter fence,” he stressed.
Some of the participants at the workshop
General Laka with Mr Kendall at the event
Ag. Director Policy and Strategy, NCTC, Cder Damilola Owonuwa, addressing participants at the workshop
Facilitators and participants in a group photograph