Nigeria Boosts Security to Thwart Jet Bandits
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LAGOS, Nigeria — In an effort to stop bandits from robbing arriving airliners, security agents have been ordered to shoot on sight anyone getting past security guards and onto the runways of Nigeria’s airports.
Nura Iman, a commander in Nigeria’s air force, said security patrols will also be intensified at all airport terminal buildings, the runway and tarmac.
In the last two weeks, four foreign airliners arriving at the Lagos airport or leaving on return flights were attacked by robbers trying to steal passengers’ luggage.
The most spectacular was a night raid on an Iberian airliner that flew into Lagos from Madrid. About 10 robbers blocked the plane’s path on the tarmac with an aircraft ladder, used another to get to the plane’s luggage hold and tried to steal passengers’ baggage.
Their attempt failed as the pilot radioed the control tower for help.
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