Herbert Wigwe: Nigeria Responds to US, Speaks on Safety of Nigerian Airports

• The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau has addressed concerns about the safety of Nigerian airports, emphasising that while improvements are needed, the airports are not generally unsafe
• NSIB director general, Captain Alex Badeh, clarified the bureau’s role in the helicopter crash investigation involving Herbert Wigwe and highlighted systemic safety issues beyond pilot error
• Additionally, NSIB has expanded its mandate to investigate accidents across air, rail, road, and maritime sectors, developing new frameworks to support this broader responsibility

Legit.ng journalist Zainab Iwayemi has 5-year-experience covering the Economy, Technology, and Capital Market.

Recent worries regarding the security of Nigeria's airports have been addressed by the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB).

The bureau also made clear its role in looking into the helicopter crash that claimed the life of Herbert Wigwe, the late co-founder of Access Bank.

During an interview on Arise TV, Captain Alex Badeh, the director general of the NSIB, responded to a statement from a U.S. Department that implied Nigerian airports were generally unsafe.

He said that although there is always space for improvement, the Bureau NSIB disagrees with the assessment.

According to him, it is crucial to take into account the measurements and context employed in these assessments.

However, the DG stated that although certain airports have difficulties, including perimeter fencing and sporadic wildlife encroachment, these problems are not unique to Nigeria and are found at airports all over the world, including those in the US.

“It is unfair to generalise that our airports are entirely unsafe. We recognise the need for continuous improvement and commend the efforts of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) in implementing upgrades,” Badeh said.

Additionally, he clarified the assertion that the NSIB and the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) collaborated "side-by-side" on the Wigwe crash investigation.

He said:

“We were an interested party and were kept informed of the process by the NTSB, which led the investigation in the U.S.”

According to the NTSB investigation, spatial disorientation was the most likely cause of the accident. Badeh pointed out that the report also exposed flaws in the company's safety management and monitoring procedures.

“It seems there were systemic issues, and the flight risk assessment should have indicated a higher risk. While it’s easy to blame the pilot, there is a system behind the pilot that should have mitigated these risks,” he said.

A statement from the Director of Public Affairs and Family Assistance, Mrs. Bimbo Olawumi Oladeji, claimed that Badeh also delivered an update on the NSIB’s increased mandate.

“In line with our establishment act of 2022, we are now the sole accident investigation agency in Nigeria, covering air, rail, road, and maritime sectors. We are developing the necessary frameworks, including maritime investigation regulations, training manuals, investigation procedure policies, and manuals. The maritime and rail frameworks are complete, and we are engaging stakeholders for their buy-in,” he stated.

FG finally receives findings of investigation on what killed Herbert Wigwe

Legit.ng earlier reported that the Nigerian Safety and Investigation Bureau (NSIB) confirmed that the United States National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) had shared its final report on the helicopter crash that claimed the life of Herbert Wigwe, former Group Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings Plc, along with his wife, son, and three others.

The tragic accident occurred on February 9, 2024, when an Airbus EC130B4, operated by Orbic Air, LLC under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135, crashed near Halloran Springs, California.

Source: Legit.ng