A puzzling moment on the security breach at Benin airport

Tweet

By Chukwuemek​a Obinna

Stowaway: Pix 1: A teenage boy, Daniel Ihekina, who hid in the tyre hole of Arik Air flying from Benin to Lagos. Pix 2: The boy being led away by security agents.

How possible was it for such a young teenager to outwit the aviation security agents and then proceed tactically and strategically into the tyre compartment of an airplane? How could a teenager be able to play out such a huge risk undetected? Was he overlooked or was he disregarded?   

Some serious unanswered questions and thoughtful issues need to be deliberated concerning this matter, most especially, on the level of security within and outside the airport. For a youngster to be able to have snuck into a tyre compartment of the aircraft unnoticed is still baffling, bemusing, surprising and unbelievable as it has left so many people dumbfounded, stunned and speechless on hearing the story. 

Is there really an acknowledgeable and a pledged security within the aviation sector? One would have imagined or thought that such an unexpected drama would never occur in an airport. 

A well-organized and coordinated security strategy must be regularly put in place along checkpoints, parking lots, runways (landing site), departure lounges, transit lounges, tarmac, terminals, airplanes, and the entire premises of the airport, including the interior and the exterior parts of the airport. 

Additionally, security watchdogs and surveillance cameras must be made available within the airport for the purpose of monitoring every movement around the premises of the airport. 

It is such disbelief, a shocking moment and a disappointment that the aviation security agents could be outsmarted by a teenager over such an unforeseen occurrence. This shows the level of lackadaisical and careless attitude towards the responsibility of the aviation security agents in determining and ensuring the protection of lives and properties within the airport. The airlines cannot be held accountable for that incident. 

With such a bemusing and an unanticipated event that occurred, can people actually trust the level of security within the airport of that state? If the worst case scenario was to be considered, it could have been a horrific, bitter and a hurtful story if that mysterious teenager was armed with a dangerous weapon or explosive. 

But one would have wondered what made a teenager to gather the effrontery, the nerve and such gutsiness to outsmart the security men and to enter into the tyre compartment of the airplane undisclosed.  

It was as a matter of fact, due to the ignorance of the security men to crosscheck the aircraft thoroughly.  It is common sense to be cautious on people’s movement at all times.