The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) recently released the list of victims of the Igbokoda air crash, which claimed the lives of five crew members and 20 passengers. The incident has raised concerns about the safety of the country's military aircraft. Aviation stakeholders believe that the sequence of crashes raises a "red flag" and warrants precautionary measures to prevent further disasters. The NAF has promised to thoroughly investigate the cause of the crash.
The frequency of military plane crashes in Nigeria has been a cause for concern, with 13 incidents reported between 2015 and 2023, resulting in the deaths of at least 37 military officers. In 2019 and 2021, the Air Force lost eight jets in separate incidents, including the February 2021 Beechcraft King Air B350 crash, which killed seven military personnel. These incidents have sparked calls for a proper interrogation of the accidents to draw lessons for the entire aviation sector.
The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Kelvin Aneke, has promised a thorough investigation into the cause of the crash, but Nigerians have heard similar promises in the past. The NAF fleet has been criticized for poor maintenance, with a document comparing fund releases to the NAF for aircraft maintenance with those of the Presidential Air Fleet. The report suggests that releases to the NAF are less than 20 percent, while those to the Presidential Air Fleet are above 90 percent.
A presidential adviser, Tope Fashua, has argued that the releases for the presidential fleet are higher because they come under recurrent expenditure, while those of the NAF come under capital. However, budgetary approvals for the NAF fleet deserve equal importance as those of the presidential fleet, whether in terms of capital or recurrent. The NAF has faced criticism for breaching maintenance schedules, which could contribute to asset age, material fatigue, and instrumentation failures.
The combination of these factors can compromise the operational reliability of military aircraft. While air crash rates can demonstrate how busy and engaged an Air Force is, some recent crashes could have been avoided, especially those that occurred outside combat operation areas. The NAF has not denied the report on fund releases, and stakeholders are calling for increased attention to the maintenance of the NAF fleet.
One of the most devastating crashes occurred in 2021, when a plane carrying the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, and 10 other senior military officers crashed near the Kaduna International Airport, killing all on board. This incident, as well as the latest crash in Ondo State, echoes the 1992 crash of a C-130 Hercules transport plane in Lagos, which claimed the lives of 158 middle-ranking officers.
The NAF must take concrete steps to address the concerns about its aircraft safety and maintenance. The authorities must prioritize the safety of military personnel and take measures to prevent further crashes. The investigation into the Igbokoda air crash must be thorough and transparent, and its findings made public to ensure accountability and improve aviation safety in Nigeria.
Key points
- Nigeria's Air Force has suffered 13 military plane mishaps between 2015 and 2023, killing at least 37 military officers.
