News
Our Aircraft, Airspace Are Safe, NCAA Replies Senate
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), yesterday, affirmed that the country’s airlines and aircraft were safe for air travellers and operations.
The NCAA Director-General, Capt. Musa Nuhu, asserted while addressing newsmen in Lagos.
Nuhu was reacting to a statement allegedly made by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Aviation, Sen. Smart Adeyemi, that the industry was in critical condition.
Adeyemi had in a public hearing said the industry might soon begin to record plane crashes from next week if quick actions, such as increased bailouts, were not implemented.
He had said that the N4billion recently announced as bailout funds for the industry by the Federal Government was not enough to address the challenges of the industry.
According to the lawmaker, the industry needs about N50billion to avoid disasters as airline operators have resorted to cutting corners in carrying out maintenance requirements for their aircraft.
Nuhu, however, told newsmen that he could categorically clear that the country’s airplanes were safe, emphasising that the unsafe ones had been grounded.
He said: “Some aircraft have been grounded in Nigeria for months because they are not safe and we have insisted that the operators must fix whatever issue they have before they are authorised to fly.
“The standards as regards airworthiness of airplanes, even I as the DG, I do not have the authority to waive anything as long as it is a safety-related issue.
“All our aircraft flying are safe.
“I believe this statement came supposedly from the National Assembly and I want to believe there was a misquotation.
“Somehow, the story was twisted by whomever, for whatever, to make a sensational story and what this has done is that it has cast doubt on Nigeria civil aviation with the international community.”
Nuhu said the bad image could make it difficult for airlines to access international funds and to have a good lease rate for the operators’ aircraft, while their insurance premium might increase.
“Of course, the twisting of the senator’s comment has created an impression that Nigeria civil aviation is not safe and I don’t think you want to put your aircraft or money where the system is not safe,” he said.
The authority, he said, was training its technical staff to make sure they were up to date by developing more skills and ability to do their jobs.
The D-G noted that the gesture had also been replicated on all operators, including the airlines and ground handlers.
“We said they must comply with our regulations.
“This has led to the grounding of some aircraft because for some reasons, they were not in compliance and we insisted everybody must comply with the regulations.
“One of the regulations is the aircraft airworthiness; the crew must be properly trained, proficient to do their jobs. Everybody must meet the requirements of the regulators,” he said.
Nuhu said that after the lockdown, NCAA performed an oversight function over airlines, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), the Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), and other government agencies.
“Some people think FAAN is the regulator, but that is not so.
“FAAN is a public service provider and we regulate them. When we closed the airports, we make sure they are not reopened until FAAN meets some certain requirements,” he said.
According to Nuhu, this explains why all the airports are not reopened at the same time.
“The Lagos and Kano airports were reopened when they were certified safe for operations after the lockdown was eased,’’ he said.
He said that FAAN had about 26 airports and that it would be difficult for any organisation to open all of them at the same time.
Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has called on Nigerians to reject silence in the face of extrajudicial killings and other abuses of human rights.
Soyinka stressed that accountability and civic courage remain essential to rebuilding public confidence in the nation’s institutions.
He made the call during the 28th Wole Soyinka Lecture held in Port Harcourt, last Friday as part of activities marking his 92nd birthday.
The lecture, themed “Reclaiming the Nigerian State through Accountability, Justice and Civic Courage,” drew participants from different sectors of society.
The renowned playwright and human rights advocate said the country’s greatest tragedy was not only the unlawful killings carried out by state and non-state actors, but also the silence that often follows such incidents, allowing perpetrators to evade justice.
According to him, indifference by citizens to abuses of power and violations of fundamental human rights has contributed to the persistence of extrajudicial killings and other forms of injustice across the country.
Soyinka said he dedicated this year’s lecture to victims of unlawful killings, noting that the event was intended to honour individuals who had lost their lives as a result of failures within the justice system and society’s inability to protect the sanctity of human life.
He stressed that the lecture was dedicated to what he described as the basic unit of every society – the human being, and urged Nigerians to place greater value on human dignity irrespective of ethnicity, religion or social status.
The Nobel Laureate recalled several incidents of violence, including the fatal shooting and killing of a young man in Ugheli in Delta State by a police officer, and the mob killing of Deborah Yakubu in Sokoto State sometime ago, lamenting that many of those responsible are yet to face justice.
He expressed concern that some perpetrators of violent crimes had openly admitted their actions without fear of prosecution, describing such situations as evidence of serious failures within the nation’s justice system.
Soyinka maintained that when justice is delayed or denied, public confidence in state institutions continues to erode, thereby encouraging further violations of human rights.
Responding to critics who accuse him of promoting religious or ethnic divisions whenever he spoke on such issues, Soyinka dismissed the allegations and pointed out that his advocacy has always centred on the protection of human life and the rule of law.
He urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and continue demanding justice in cases of alleged extrajudicial killings, including the recent shooting of a young man by a police officer, stressing that every life deserves equal protection under the law.
The literary icon also recalled an earlier pledge by a past incoming president to make public the files relating to unresolved assassinations and extrajudicial killings, questioning the status of the promised investigations.
He challenged citizens to continue asking questions about unresolved cases, insisting that justice, accountability and respect for human dignity are indispensable to building a peaceful, democratic and inclusive Nigerian society.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has clarified that there was no fire at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, contrary to its earlier advisory.
Earlier yesterday, FAAN had announced that a fire incident had occurred at Terminal 2 of the nation’s busiest airport, and assured that its Aerodrome Rescue and Firefighting Service had been deployed to contain the situation.
There were also reports that activities were briefly disrupted at the airport yesterday after smoke was seen inside parts of the terminal.
Videos circulating online showed passengers kept standing outside the terminal while firefighters responded to the incident.
However, in an update issued less than two hours later by the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire, and posted on FAAN’s official X handle, the authority said preliminary findings showed that the smoke seen at the terminal was caused by the discharge of the facility’s FM-200 fire suppression system.
“Further to our earlier advisory regarding the incident at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) wishes to provide the following update,” the statement read.
“Preliminary findings indicate that there was no fire at the terminal. The smoke observed within the affected area resulted from the discharge of the terminal’s FM-200 fire suppression system. The reason for the activation of the fire suppression system is currently being investigated,” FAAN stated.
The authority said normal operations had resumed at the terminal while investigations were ongoing to determine the cause of the incident.
“Normal operations have since resumed at the terminal, while detailed investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause of the incident,” the statement added.
The authority thanked passengers, airlines, airport users and other stakeholders for their understanding and cooperation.
FAAN appreciated the understanding and cooperation of passengers, airlines, airport users and all stakeholders, and reiterated its commitment to the safety and security of all airport operations.