The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, recently carried out a mandatory disaster emergency simulation exercise at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, to assess the facility’s preparedness for a major aviation emergency.
The drill was designed to identify gaps, strengthen coordination among responders and guide future planning for real-time incidents.
FAAN’s Regional General Manager for North Central, Mr. Ahmed Danjuma, described the outcome as encouraging, noting the speed of response from participating agencies.
According to him, “We’re here to conduct one of the mandatory exercises that is expected of every international airport in Nigeria after every two years. It is a simulation or a mock exercise, an emergency mock exercise. So luckily enough, today we’re here to conduct our own in Abuja.
“The airport authorities will use the feedback from the exercise to improve their response to emergencies.”
Danjuma added that the exercise underscored FAAN’s commitment to the safety and security of passengers and staff across the nation’s airports.
He listed the agencies involved as the National Emergency Management Agency, the Red Cross, the police, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, the Federal Road Safety Corps and the Fire Service. Hospitals and paramedics from across Abuja also took part in the drill.
The manager said the participation of multiple stakeholders reflected the complexity of handling airport emergencies, adding that each agency was expected to identify weaknesses and document solutions through a detailed appraisal of the exercise.
He directed the secretariat to carefully compile all observations for circulation and future reference.
Danjuma also acknowledged the role of external stakeholders, describing their involvement as crucial to the success of the simulation.
