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PDP Raises Alarm over Incessant Military Plane Crashes

NAF Chief commiserates with families of late officers 

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The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday raised  the alarm over  the incessant  crashes of  military aircraft following the  crash of  plane belonging to the Nigerian Airforce (NAF) in Kaduna on Tuesday, April 19, 2022.

The PDP pointed to the growing public apprehension of possible security compromises and complicity in the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led administration, leading to incessant unexplained military aircraft crashes in the country in the last seven years.

In a statement, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Debo Ologunagba, said that the disturbing trend is the fact that after each crash, the APC government comes up with a public announcement to investigate the circumstances surrounding the mishap but typical of the administration, such investigation would go cold.

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According to the PDP, “This pattern gives credence to the strong suspicion among Nigerians that there is complicity or sabotage in our national security architecture including the Airforce which is very critical to any meaningful fight against terrorism.”

The PDP said that in May last year, just eleven months ago, a NAF aircraft crashed around Kaduna International Airport, killing the then Chief of Army Staff, Ibrahim Attahiru and 10 other officers.

The  PDP said:  “It is instructive to note that our nation has experienced no fewer than 11 unexplained military air crashes since the Muhammadu Buhari-led APC government took over power in 2015.”

The PDP therefore  demanded a system-wide independent judicial enquiry to conduct an investigation into the remote and immediate causes of these incessant crashes of our military aircrafts especially in the face of worsening terrorism attacks in the  country.

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The demand, the PDP said  is imperative and consistent with the demands by Nigerians who have lost faith in the ability of the APC government to conduct a transparent and credible investigation into any matter, particularly those relating to  national security.

“Our party is saddened with this trend of event and hereby condoles with the Nigerian Airforce, the families of the officers involved in the air crash and prays for the repose of the souls of the departed officers.”, the party stated

The PDP saluted the courageous military officers and charged  them not to be deterred by this very sad and unfortunate incident but to remain vigilant and focused in their constitutional duty of protecting our nation especially at this critical point in the national life.

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Meanwhile, the  Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Oladayo Amao, has commiserated with the families of Flight Lieutenant Abubakar Alkali and Flight Lieutenant Elijah Karatu, who lost their lives in a plane crash on Tuesday in Kaduna.

Speaking when he visited the families of the deceased officers yesterday at the NAF Base, Kaduna, Amao said the crash of the trainer aircraft “is yet again a tragic reminder of the perilous nature of the military flying profession as well as the risks NAF pilots continually take, daily, to secure Nigeria’s territorial integrity.”

Amao, in a statement issued after the visit by NAF Director of Public Relation and Information, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, said that the cause of the crash of the Super Mushshak trainer aircraft would be thoroughly investigated.

The statement said that the NAF Chief constituted an Accident Investigation Board on Tuesday to determine the immediate and remote causes of the crash.

The statement added that Amao assured the officers, airmen and airwomen of 401 Flying Training School that measures would be put in place to avert similar occurrence in the future.

“He also reminded them on the need to remain steadfast and focused on their assigned roles and responsibilities in view of the onerous task before the NAF and other security agency to rid the North-west and indeed the entire nation of all criminal elements.

“The unfortunate incident of yesterday’s trainer aircraft crash is yet again a tragic reminder of the perilous nature of the military flying profession as well as the risks NAF pilots continually take, daily, to secure Nigeria’s territorial integrity,” the statement said.

(Thisday)