Kasim Sumaina
Concerned by growing global terrorism threat, the United Nation Counter Terrorism office and the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) have disclosed that both agencies are working with member countries to begin profiling passengers’ database through the airlines to detect terrorists that are on watch list.
The development, they noted was in response to threat by criminals and terrorists who use the airline industry to conduct criminal-related activities not only in Nigeria, but in the African region and the world.
Speaking at a two-day National Consultative Workshop on Countering terrorist travel programme being coordinated by the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate in collaboration with the NCAA in Abuja, the Programme Manager, UN Office on Counter Terrorism, Ms. Marie Marguerite Carpenter explained that the aim was to detect terrorists using their passport information and passenger name record data.
Carpenter maintained that the UN goal was to support countries, take passengers’ data when they check-in or crossing the border, analayse and cross check same against international and national databases of watch-list individuals
Marie stressed that the UN provide comprehensive support to member countries is in line with the United Nations Security Council Resolutions passed in 2017 and 2019.
According to her, “the support we provide are under four pillars, the pillars include supporting countries to develop a national legal framework to be able to collect, analyse passenger data for counter terrorism and to prevent serious crimes purposes.”
She pointed out that under the operational pillar, “they build the capacity of the passenger information unit which is a multi-agency detection unit that is in charge of receiving the data from the airlines and even maritime operative such that names of passengers are cross checks to be able to detect individuals before their arrival to the country.”
She further stated that they are bringing together all the different organisations, including IOM, Interpol, adding that they would also get status update on where Nigeria is at in the implementation of the passenger data regime so as to develop a roadmap on how to support the country.
Speaking in a similar vein, the Director General, NCAA, Capt. Nuhu Musa revealed that the Advance Passenger Information and the Passenger Number Record (APIPNR) are tools for effectively managing, controlling and maintaining travel through details of passenger, adding that the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) councils on standard also passed the resolution
Musa disclosed that the APIPNR identifies potential criminals, terrorists, illicit drug trading, illicit human trafficking and help improve facilitation through proper documentations.
“So, it actually verifies if the person is the actual person travelling with the passport. I am sure you have been to places where they want to check the fingerprint, to cross-check with what is actually in the record, to match the record, to ensure that you are who you claim you are.
“And if for any reason, any security agency, local and international have an alert of you, you will be identified and you will be taken in for whatever processes is bound to be done.”
Also speaking, focal person for the Nigeria Immigration Service, Comptroller Muhammed Umar, said an inventory of people coming in and going out of the country had become not only necessary but timely.
