Why military aircraft keep crashing in Nigeria — Ex-DSS director

Former Director of the Department of State Services (DSS), Mike Ejiofor, has identified poor maintenance culture and possible training deficiencies as factors contributing to recurring military aircraft crashes in Nigeria.

According to Daily Post, Ejiofor raised the concerns during an interview on Arise Television on Friday, following a Nigerian Air Force aircraft crash in Ondo State that reportedly claimed several lives.

He called for comprehensive internal audits of military aircraft, personnel training and maintenance procedures to prevent further tragedies.

“So this crash is just one too many, and I think we need to do internal auditing of the Nigerian Air Force to ensure that the aircraft are airworthy and that the people receive training. Don’t forget that it’s not only the Air Force; the various parts of society also have this lack of maintenance culture in Nigeria.

“I call for comprehensive internal auditing of both the aircraft and men, because we can’t just continue to lose men, lose equipment, materials, and all that. I think it’s high time the government stepped up its proactive approaches.

“And the Air Force authorities also have to look inwards to see what it actually is. Is it lack of maintenance or training? I’m sure they are trained,” he said.