Regulators enforce passenger identification at Nigeria's airports

Lagos, Nigeria (PANA) - The regulation requiring proper identification of passengers prior to flight boarding at Nigeria's airports is to be strictly enforced, following a directive to that effect by the regulatory Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

The directive, issued by NCAA Director-Genetral Harold Demuren, took effect 7 July and will remain in force until further notice.

Under the directive, all airlines are to ensure that passengers are positively identified by matching their names with the photo identity document produced or presented by the passenger.

Also, the name on each passenger’s ticket and boarding pass must match the name on his or her photo identity document.

It was the latest in a series of measures being put in place by the nation's aviation authorities to ensure the safety of passengers, amid rising cases of domestic terrorism.

Security has been tightened around the nation's airports to forestall any attack by the Islamic sect Boko Haram, which has carried out spectacular attacks on various targets, including the police headquarters and the UN offices in the capital city of Abuja, since it launched its terror campaign in 2009.

The sect has killed over 1,200 in gun and bomb attacks, mostly in the predominantly-Muslim northern Nigeria
-0- PANA SEG 9July2012