Reps decry eight NAF crashes in four years, grill CAS

Leke Baiyewu, Abuja

The House of Representatives has criticised the Nigerian Air Force for the incessant crashes recorded recently, leading to the loss of lives and aircraft.

The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, who was invited by the House, appeared before the Committee on Air Force in Abuja on Monday, where he was grilled behind closed doors on the crashes.

The House had organised a public investigative hearing “on the incessant non-combatant related air crashes by the Nigerian Air Force.”

The Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila, who was represented by the acting Majority Leader, Mr Peter Akpatason, noted that the House had resolved to work with relevant national security agencies to determine the present needs and provide funding for recruitment, training and equipment for a dynamic and proactive security apparatus, especially air power.

Gbajabiamila said, “Regrettably, in recent times, the Nigerian Air Force has been witnessing incessant air crashes. Between the years 2015 and 2019, there have been at least eight air crashes in various Nigerian states that have endangered lives and property. As joint partners, we are determined to proffer lasting solutions to this problem.

“Since the recent crashes, many questions have been on the lips of Nigerians. I do not want to pre-empt or pre-judge the committee by detailing the questions and hazarding the answers. I will, therefore, leave this onerous task of unravelling the circumstances leading to these incidents and the solutions to this august committee, with the assurance that they are capable and able to discharge the mandate without fear or favour.”

Abubakar, in his remarks before the meeting went behind closed doors, said the probe by the lawmakers was in order.

The CAS said, “I want to also say that for us in the air force, we will do everything humanly possible, having been entrusted with very expensive airplanes, to ensure that our people fly safely. In terms of the quality of training, we have the best; and in terms of spare parts and other maintenance issues, we have made substantial progress from 2015 when the serviceability status of aircraft was only 35 per cent. Today, as of this morning when I left the office, the serviceability status is 70 per cent and it has always been between 70 and 82 per cent in the last four years. So, definitely, the government is doing everything humanly possible to support us and we are also doing everything humanly possible to ensure that we fly safely.”