By our Reporter
Days ago, the Liberia Airport Authority (LAA) released a “shoot to kill” announcement as part of drastic measures to secure the premises of the country’s only international airport (RIA), which it said was “in collaboration with the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL)”, but the army has dismissed the claim.
The LAA said the measures to secure the airport premises especially the airside included:
“Stringent patrols by armed men of the AFL at entry point or acrodrome or airside at RIA; Authorities of the AFL to shoot at sight, anyone who attempts to steal any of the navigational equipment within the acrodrome or on the airside at RIA.”
But the Defense Ministry later on Wednesday denied that the Liberian Armed Forces was of any arrangement to shoot at sight as stated by the airport authorities.
“The AFL distances itself from “shoot and kill notice by RIA authorities. AFL only take marching order from AFL command,” said Defense Ministry’s Spokesman and Assistant Minister Sam Kingsford Collins.
In recent times, commanders of the new AFL have repeatedly said with the role of an army in a democratic dispensation, they would be bent only on carrying out “lawful orders”.
The reaction from the AFL has prompted the LAA’s management to reverse its hash shoot to kill security measure.
Instead of shooting to kill, the airport authorities now say in a statement issued on Thursday that people found intruding the RIA premises will now “be arrested and dealt with in keeping with the laws of Liberia.
“The Management of the Liberia Airport Authority (LAA) wishes to clarify that the portion of the recently issued Public Service Announcement, on new security measures at the Roberts International Airport is actually not intended to harm or kill anyone as it has been misconstrued. Anyone found trespassing within the Security Restricted Areas of the Airport will be arrested and dealt with in keeping with the Laws of Liberia.
These new security measures as contained in the Announcement are only intended to deter interferences with the aerodrome which sometimes lead to thefts of very valuable navigational equipment.”
The statement further said: “Management can recall that there have been several attempts made on newly installed navigational equipment, as part of the ongoing resurfacing of the Runway by criminals; something which if not averted could cause crippling effects on the airport.
LAA Management assures the public that it respects the law and will do nothing outside of the provisions of the Laws of Liberia.”
Although the Liberia Airport Authority’s “Management apologizes for any embarrassment caused,” their shoot to kill security measure saying it was done in collaboration with the AFL raises serious questions about weakness in coordination among state institution.
Some analysts also say it brings into question the capacity of the RIA own internal security to effectively police that sensitive entity to deter theft and how cogent are the airports own internal measures to prevent stealing of the airport’s properties.
Another analyst wondered, “if the security cannot put a lid on theft, trespassing and other minor criminal activities, what about bigger security concerns like terrorism?”