HeadlineTerrorism: Commercial Air Operators, Passengers Jittery Over Shooting Of NAF Fighter Jet

Terrorism: Commercial Air Operators, Passengers Jittery Over Shooting Of NAF Fighter Jet

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July 25, (THEWILL) – Commercial air operators and passengers in Nigeria are now in a panic mode, following the shooting of a Nigerian Air Force fighter jet, penultimate week, and the narrow escape of the pilot, who had to eject from the aircraft after coming under intense gunfire from terrorists.

A solo military offensive in the notorious Zamfara forest area of the North- West region of the country nearly turned fatal for the NAF pilot, Flight Lieutenant Abayomi Dairo, whose experience has since sent jitters down the spines of commercial air passengers who felt that even the skies may no longer be safe from the activities of the dare-devil terrorists that have totally taken over the northern flanks of the country.

THEWILL reliably gathered that most stakeholders in the nation’s aviation industry, including air passengers, operators, experts and other players are beginning to express fears and worry over the brazen downing of the Air Force fighter jet after what the military authorities described as a “successful interdiction.” Their fears and worry, it was gathered, stem from their reasoning that if a military fighter jet could be brought down in such a manner, the terrorists would do anything imaginable to ordinary commercial planes.

Glo

Not even the latest announcement of the arrival of the first set of Tucano military jets from the United States – six in number – could assuage the fears of most Nigerian commercial air passengers about the capability of terrorists currently operating in northern Nigeria.

Passengers’ mood monitored at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, showed that no day passes without discussions of the recent NAF jet crash.

The fact that bandits could shoot at a fighter plane with impunity worries passengers to no end as they contemplate what could happen during landing when the aircrafts are usually within easy reach of possible attacks.

According to them, continuous plane crashes in military operations are a bad omen to the safety of the airspace in general, be it civil or military. These stakeholders have equally appealed to both the civil and military authorities to adopt new precautionary measures to avert more disasters that have to do with air mishaps.

The latest crash, which is the last among a series of plane crashes, occurred on July 18, 2021 while Dairo was returning from a successful mission at the boundary between Zamfara and Kaduna States, an area believed to be the hot bed of terrorism and kidnapping in the North-West.

According to an official statement from the office of the Director of Public Relations and Information, Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore, Edward Gabkwet, the aircraft had come under intense enemy gunfire which led to its crash.

Although, Flight Lieutenant Dairo, successfully ejected from the aircraft, the incident seems to have left a sad and frightening impression in the minds of users of military aircraft and air passengers in commercial flights.

Earlier reports by THEWILL showed that the military recorded quite a number of crashes in 2021 alone. It would be recalled that in May, an air mishap claimed the lives of serving Army Chief of Staff, Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru and other principal officers. On February 21, a Minna-bound military jet crashed, killing all seven people on board. This is even more worrisome, considering that misery still surrounds the crash in Borno on April 2, of another Alpha jet during a similar military operation against Boko Haram terrorists. Of all the incidents, NAF plane crash is the one that is giving air passengers, including commercial customers the jitters.

Regulation

Nigeria has a civil aviation regulatory body known as the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA). However, Part 10.1.1.1. of the policy document of the regulator stipulates that regulatory requirements are applicable to the operations of any civil aircraft, including aeroplane or helicopter, for the purpose of commercial air transportation operations by any air operator whose Air Operator Certificate has been issued, among others.

Part 10 does not, however, apply to aircraft when used by the military or customs, and police services, which are not used for compensation or hire.

Apparently while the NCAA regulates civil aviation, the military is self-regulated by its own Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). Yet, certain circumstances have created the opportunity for both parties to work together.

Accident Investigation

Two years ago, the Accident Investigation Bureau Nigeria (AIB-N) and Nigerian Air Force (NAF) signed a Memorandum of Understanding on collaboration and support in aircraft accident investigations and other mutually beneficial arrangements.

Based on the MoU, AIB-N was invited shortly after the crash of a Beechcraft King Air 350i which killed the Chief of Army Staff, Lt General Ibrahim Attahiru and 10 other military officers.

Flight Lieutenant Abayomi Dairo (2nd left) embracing Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Oladayo Amao (middle); while Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor (right) and other military personnel welcome the gallant pilot at the NAF Base in Kaduna on 19/7/2021.

The General Manager, Public Affairs, of AIB-N, Tunji Oketunbi, had told THEWILL that AIB-N’s mandate include investigating civil aircraft and the Bureau cannot investigate military aircraft except when invited to do so.

Oketunbi, however, explained that they were invited by NAF to come in, because of an existing MoU signed by both parties a few years ago.

Only recently, AIB announced that the bureau was set to release a preliminary report of NAF Plane Crash, involving Beechcraft King Air 350i. But the bureau said that it was not within its purview to make its finding public, saying NAF would decide on what to do with the report.

Engr. Akin Olateru, the Commissioner, AIB, who disclosed this while releasing the preliminary report, said AIB had already analysed the aircraft’s flight data recorder (FDR) and the cockpit voice recorder (CVR).

“The decision to make it public or not is with the Nigerian Air Force (NAF). We don’t have that mandate. Our mandate only covers zero accident,” he said.

The import of it all is that with the MoU both parties can work together and ensure that appropriate measures are taken to guarantee the safety of passengers of civil and military aircraft.

Stakeholders’ Views

Aviation experts who spoke to THEWILL have suggested an independent investigation of all recent crashes in military operations, public disclosure of findings and recommendations, so as to guide future occurrences and set the minds of curious air passengers at rest.

Aviation security consultant and former commandant of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos, Group Capt. John Ojikutu (retd), advised that with the recurrent nature of the air mishaps, it was high time the military intelligence body properly re-examined the strength of insurgents and other terrorists, prior to deploying combatants.

He said, “This aircraft was on a conflict mission into an enemy occupied area. It was a 50-50 chance of survival. Thank God, he survived the attack. What it means to me is that military intelligence needs to know more about the capability of the enemy before any further pre-emptive attacks. Again, thank God for his safe return from the lions’ jaws,” Ojikutu said.

A regular air passenger and a former member of staff of Nigeria Airways, Mr John Monye, said that the frequent involvement of military planes is not the issue. Monye told THEWILL that his fears are hinged on the involvement of bandits attacking aircraft.

“I was not worried about the series of incidents and accidents. I became afraid when the issues of bandits came in,” he said.

Another air traveller, Moji Adefuye, stated that there is cause for one to be afraid because terrorists are looking for ways to cause unnecessary havoc.

“You don’t blame any air passenger that is afraid. Yes! This is because the bandits are looking for ways to cause havoc,” Mrs Adefuye said.

For Bishop Christian Onyia, Bishop of Nike Diocese (Anglican Communion), Enugu State, Nigerian can only check insecurity in the country if our leaders are honest.

Speaking in Enugu on Friday, Onyia decried the spate of insecurity in the country, particularly the recent dimension it has taken with the downing of the NAF Alpha Jet aircraft.

Speaking on the side-lines of activities marking his 46th birthday and two years and three months of his consecration as Bishop of the Diocese, at the Trans Chapel of Resurrection, Trans-Ekulu, Enugu, the Bishop said, “Nigerian leaders must wake up now. They must call a spade, a spade, in terms of dealing with all known troublemakers or groups operating like terrorists, irrespective of creed, tribe and affiliations.

“Previously, we believe that the airspace is safe, but with the recent shooting of a Nigerian Airforce Jet in mid-flight, our airplanes are no longer safe.

“We have to be honest with ourselves to tackle the current security challenges. What has kept us where we are today is dishonesty to ourselves.

“We do not speak the truth to ourselves and you know the scripture says `it is only the truth can set one free’.

“If we need to be free from the oppression of the terrorists, I use the word terrorists to put all people and groups disturbing and terrorising the peace of the country together; our leaders must come together and tell themselves the truth,’’ he said.

History is full of passenger aircraft that had been shot down either by terrorists or countries whose military was convinced that their airspace had been violated, either its military headquarters or, perhaps, its financial centre, forcing on a course of action that would prevent the interception of that restricted area without prior authorisation.

It is a different case with a country in which terrorists can shoot down a military plane with impunity and probably seize the initiative on the ongoing insecurity to threaten the safety of the Nigerian skies.

About the Author

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Anthony Awunor, is a business correspondent who holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Linguistics (UNILAG). He is also an alumnus of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria Kaduna State. He lives in Lagos.

Anthony Awunor, THEWILLhttps://thewillnews.com
Anthony Awunor, is a business correspondent who holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Linguistics (UNILAG). He is also an alumnus of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria Kaduna State. He lives in Lagos.

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