Kaduna Plane Crash: NAF Sets Up Committee To Conduct Safety Audit On Operation, Engineering Units

By Edna Wande On May 25, 2021

Following record of multiple air crashes, Nigerian Air Force has set up a committee to conduct safety audit of its operational and engineering units.

The new development was contained in a statement on Tuesday signed by NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore, Edward Gabkwet,

This comes few days after the plane crash which claimed the lives of Chief of Army Staff, Ibrahim Attahiru and 10 others.

This is the second time in a year that a military aircraft has crashed and one has gone missing.

On February 21, a Nigeria Air Force military plane, Beechcraft B350i, crashed close to Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport on its way to Minna, Niger State. The plane had an engine failure and all seven officers on board died.

Shortly after, on April 1, a Nigerian Air Force fighter jet which was on a surveillance mission in Borno State, in the North East, went missing.

The plane lost radar contact and disappeared “while on interdiction mission in support of ground troops. The mission was part of the ongoing counterinsurgency operations in the North East.”

Gabkwet said the committee established by Oladayo Amao, Chief of Air Staff, comprises of serving and retired senior officers.

The committee is chaired by Abraham Adole, Deputy Theatre Commander, operation Hadin Kai (formerly known as Lafiya Dole) — a military operation aimed at defeating Boko Haram.

It is expected that the committee will submit its report on or before June 18, 2021.

The statement was titled, ‘NAF Sets Up Committee To Conduct Safety Audit Of Its Operational And Engineering Units’.

It reads;

The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Oladayo Amao has constituted a Committee of serving and retired senior officers to conduct a safety audit of all Nigerian Air Force operational and engineering units.

The Committee is to, among other terms of reference, analyse safety reports from operational and engineering units, conduct safety evaluation of NAF units and recommend measures to enhance safety of operations in the units.

The Committee is also to interact with unit operational and technical personnel for views, observations and contributions on safety measures. Chaired by Air Vice Marshal Abraham Adole, the Deputy Theatre Commander, Operation HADIN KAI, the Committee is to submit its report not later than 18 June 2021.

Following the death of crash in Kaduna which claimed the lives of of 11 military personnel including Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen Ibrahim Attahiru, NAF subsequently asked the Accident Investigation Bureau, Nigeria to probe the crash.