AIB, France, Saudi Arabia, Benin Republic Seal Deal

AIB, France, Saudi Arabia, Benin Republic Seal Deal

By Ibrahim Shuaibu

The Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with France and Benin Republic on accident investigation and other air safety measures.

The Commissioner/ Chief Executive Officer, Accident Investigation Bureau, Engr Akin Olateru, disclosed this at a one-day sensitisation symposium on the activities of AIB in Kano, yesterday.

The AIB boss, who was represented by the General Manager, Public Affairs AIB, Tunji Oketunbi, said the signing of the agreement would enable the agency to go and conduct investigation on aircraft that involved in accident in the countries.

According to him, arrangements had also been concluded for signing of a similar agreement with Saudi Arabia.

“The MoU would have been signed but because of the COVID-19 pandemic, it had to be postponed.”
According to him, AIB had done creditably well in the area of impacting safety even to the admiration of the international community.

“We were asked to come and conduct investigation in Sao Tome and principle and we did it which is a cross border investigation.

“AIB is playing a leadership role because it has the support of the Federal Government. So, because our profile is rising that is why the agency is not even the initiator of the collaboration.”

He said, “With the signing of the MoU, if anything happens in those countries, the agency will just deploy its personnel and equipment to the place to assist them.”
He said the agency had so far issued no fewer than 50 accident reports since it was established adding that between 2017 to 2020, the agency had issued 32 accident reports which represented 60 percent of accident reports.

He said the workshop was aimed at keeping the critical stakeholders abreast with the activities of AIB as well as to get feedback from them on what they think about the agency.
He said AIB would continue to accord priority attention to world class training for its investigators to enable them discharge their duties in accordance with the global best practices.

In his remarks at the occasion, the secretary to Kano State Government represented by the Special Adviser on Cabinet Matters, Abdullahi Mohammed called for regular sensitisation of passengers on air travel safety measures.

The Regional Aviation Stakeholders Symposium was attended by various stakeholders including representatives of the police, FRSC, NAMA, Customs, Nigerian Army, NSCDC and aviation agencies among others.

Related Articles