AIB-N Commences Investigation On COAS’ Air Crash

The Accident Investigation Bureau, Nigeria (AIB -N) has commenced an investigation on the Chief of Army Staff’s air crash.

Gatekeepers News reports that the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has mandated the Accident Investigation Bureau, Nigeria (AIB -N) to lead the investigation into the crash of a military aircraft that led to the death of the Chief of Army Staff, Ibrahim Attahiru.

The air mishap which occurred on Friday in Kaduna killed ten others who were on board.

The General Manager, Public Affairs of
AIB-N, Tunji Oketunbi announced the commencement of the investigation in a statement on Saturday.

Gatekeepers had reported that Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Lucky Irabor directed that an AIB board be constituted to unravel the immediate and remote cause(s) of the air mishap that killed the COAS.

Oketunbi, however, noted that “the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) from the accidented Beechcraft 350 aircraft have been recovered and investigation has commenced.”

The statement read further, “Investigators will download and analyse vital information contained in the recorders at the AIB-N’s world class Flight Safety Laboratory, in Abuja.

“The crash, which occurred on landing, claimed 11 lives including the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen Ibrahim Attahiru, his aides, and the flight crew.”

Oketunbi stated that “the mandate given to AIB-N is based on the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed between the two agencies on July 1, 2020, covering areas of mutual assistance.”