ACN’s plane runs into goats at Bauchi airport

[TGD]

REMINISCENT of the incident in 2005 where Air France ran into herds of cows in Port Harcourt International Airport, a similar incident occurred in Bauchi airport when a light aircraft ran into goats on the runway of the airport, causing considerable damage to the aircraft.

Meanwhile, in a statement by the Director of Media and Publicity of the Nuhu Ribadu Campaign Organisation, Ibrahim Modibbo, the group condemned the incident and called for a probe of the incident.

The aircraft, a Hawker Sidney HS-125, was carrying the vice presidential candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Mr. Fola Adeola and some stalwarts of the party to Bauchi in continuation of the party's presidential campaigns.

The Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Dr. Harold Demuren, confirmed the incident to The Guardian.

Demuren stated that the incident occurred when the chartered aircraft HS125 wanted to land in Bauchi Airstrip, but said none of the passengers onboard sustained any injury.

He, however, said that some parts of the aircraft were damaged because of the incident, adding that if the airstrip had perimeter fences, such an incident would have been avoided.

He said: "It was not Nuhu Ribadu that had an incident, but rather, it was his running mate, Mr. Fola Abiola. The team wanted to land in Bauchi airstrip with a chartered aircraft HS125, but some cows were crossing the runway. Thank God that the aircraft landed safely, but it suffered some small damages."

The NCAA chief said the aircraft had been removed from the runway, and the airport had been reopened for flight operations at 3.00 p.m. when The Guardian called him.

Top officials of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) were said to be meeting over the matter when The Guardian placed a call to the spokesman of the agency.

Meanwhile, in a statement by the Director of Media and Publicity of the Nuhu Ribadu Campaign Organisation, Ibrahim Modibbo, the group condemned the incident and called for a probe of the incident.

He alleged that his organisation suspected "sabotage". And as a matter of urgency we call for an investigation into the immediate and remote cause of the runway invasion," Modibbo stated.

"If not for the expertise of the pilot, we would probably not be saying what we are saying today.

"Is it possible for President Jonathan who is also the Presidential candidate of the PDP to be involved in such a situation where the runway he is to land on will be filled by rams, which could have been controlled?" Modibbo said.

The incident is worrisome, considering the fact that the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) will be in the country in May this year for safety audit of the nation's aviation system, less than nine months after the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) granted Nigeria, the Category One aviation status.

The ICAO Universal Safety Audit Programme (USAP), is going to be total system checks that would focus at airports, airspace safety, including weather, airlines, personnel training, regulations oversight, safety compliance and enforcement.

Aviation safety oversight is a function by which Contracting States ensure the effective implementation of ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs).

But this latest incident is a bad advertisement for a country that its security is expected to come under serious focus.

There are eight critical elements that ICAO considers essential for a State to establish, implement and maintain in order to have an effective safety oversight system. The elements are primary legislation, operating regulations, organization and safety oversight functions, technical experts training, guidance, procedures and information.

Most Nigerian airports lack essential equipment for safety. Runways are poorly lit, lack perimeter fencing, poorly trained personnel. Apart from the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, that is partially fenced, all the other international airports lack good security.

Source: ACN's plane runs into goats at Bauchi airport