AIB-Nigeria, Police bicker over helicopter crash in Bauchi

Nigeria Police, Thursday, denied reports of a crash involving one of its helicopters in Bauchi State, even as an agency in the Ministry of Aviation had earlier reported an accident involving an aircraft in the force’s fleet.

The denial by the police follows information released by the Accident Investigation Bureau in Nigeria (AIB-Nigeria), in the Ministry of Aviation, which had claimed that a helicopter operated by the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) had crashed in Bauchi State.

A statement signed by the General Manger, Public Affairs, Accident Investigation Bureau, Nigeria, Mr. Tunji Oketunbi had, Thursday, reported that on 26th January, 2022, it was notified by Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) about an accident involving a Bell 429 helicopter with Registration Marks 5N-MDA owned and operated by Nigeria Police Force (NPF).

AIB-Nigeria said that the accident occurred on 26th January, 2022 at about 7:30pm (Local Time) at Bauchi Airport.

It said that the NPF helicopter had departed Abuja at 16:54 UTC for Bauchi with Six persons on board maintaining 5,500ft.

There were some injuries but no fatality.

According to AIB-Nigeria: “The investigating agency, AIB-N needs and hereby solicits for your assistance. We want the public to know that we would be amenable to receiving any video clips, evidences, or information any member of the public may have of the accident that can assist us with this investigation.

“The Bureau will appreciate that the general public and press respect the privacy of the people involved and NOT assume the cause of the accident until formal report is released.”

However, hours after the AIB-N statement reporting the crash, the Nigeria police, through the Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Mr Frank Mba, same Thursday, denied involvement of its aircraft in an accident.

He instead said the Police helicopter, Bell 429 5NMDA, flying from Abuja to Bauchi was on Tuesday, involved in a controlled safe landing at the Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa International Airport, Bauchi.

“The aircraft did not crash as being reported in some sections of the media and none of the occupants sustained any injury whatsoever.

“All six onboard including the pilot and co-pilot are in good condition,” he said.

Mba said the aircraft, flown by one of the best Police pilots, was professionally safe-landed with minor damage on the rear rotor as a result of obstacles at the landing spot.

The police spokesman said the incident occurred at about 7.30 pm.

He said the Inspector General of Police (I-G), Mr Usman Baba, had commended the Police Air-Wing for its professionalism in safe-landing the aircraft and averting any serious air-mishap.

Baba said the Nigeria Police Air-wing; with a fleet of one fixed-wing aircraft, a citation jet, and 13 helicopters has a strong history of air safety since its establishment in 1972.