Why we stopped investigation into crashed NAF aircraft – AIB-N

The Accident Investigation Bureau-Nigeria (AIB-Nigeria) has disclosed reasons why it stopped further investigation into the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) aircraft crash of May 21, 2021.

Eight months after submitting the interim report on the NAF aircraft crash, the AIB-Nigeria said it has suspended its investigation into the crash.

Akin Olateru, the commissioner, AIB-N, in a question and answer session at the release of the three reports, regretted that since the agency submitted its interim report on the crash which claimed the life of Ibrahim Attahiru, Nigeria’s former chief of army staff in Kaduna State on September 21, 2021, the bureau was unable to continue its investigation into the crash.

Olateru, however, explained that the accident was a military one, which doesn’t compel AIB-N to make the outcome of its investigation public.

But, he said that the accident occurred in a civil airport- Kaduna International Airport and AI-N was invited to conduct an investigation to unravel the cause of the crash.

Olateru explained that it was in the purview of the NAF to make the report public, but lamented that it had not been given most of the information it required to continue with the investigation to the final stage.

He said: “We are waiting for NAF to make the report of AIB-N on the accident public. We are unable to continue with the investigation to the final stage because we have not been given most information that we required.

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“We submitted the report in 2021 within 60 days of the accident and this was in line with the Annex 13 of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). We can progress with the report, but we have not been given all we need to continue.”

AIB had on September 21, 2021, submitted its interim report on the probable cause of the accident.

Attahiru, 54, and 10 others, including aides and crew died when the aircraft, Nigerian Air Force King Air-350 they were travelling in crashed within the vicinity of Kaduna Airport on May 21, 2021.

Marshal Oladayo Amao, chief of air staff (CAS), had directed that a joint investigative body consisting of experienced NAF safety officers and the AIB be constituted to investigate the circumstances surrounding the air crash.