The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has discontinued manual luggage screening at Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, following the installation of cutting-edge Rapiscan security systems.

The newly deployed Orion 928DX scanners—among the most advanced in global aviation—now handle baggage checks, significantly reducing passenger processing times while enhancing detection capabilities. Four high-capacity machines have been installed at MMIA, capable of identifying narcotics, explosives, concealed currency, and other prohibited items with high accuracy.

Physical searches will now only occur when the scanners flag suspicious items. Additionally, surveillance monitors have been set up for border control agencies, including the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Customs (NCS), NDLEA, and NAQS, all linked to a central control system for improved transparency.

Key Features of the New System

- AI-Powered Threat Detection: The Orion 928DX uses real-time scanning with dual-mode auto-set functions to detect explosives, drugs, organic materials, and undeclared cash simultaneously.

- Enhanced Imaging: Security personnel can isolate specific pixels to trace suspicious items within luggage.

- Reduced Manual Checks: A secondary search is only conducted when necessary, with a private screening cubicle available for discreet inspections.

Juliet Chima-Ogechukwu, FAAN’s ICT head at MMIA, confirmed that staff have been trained on the new systems. “The scanner highlights threats in real time, eliminating the need for random bag searches,” she said.

E-Gates and Inter-Agency Collaboration

Albert Afegbai, FAAN’s Director of Aviation Security, emphasized that the new e-gates—currently on a test run—will further streamline passenger movement by allowing boarding pass scans for access, reducing touting and unauthorized entry.

The manual search table at the terminal entrance will be removed this week to improve passenger flow. Similar upgrades are underway at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, and other major airports.