NAF 930, 931 And The Cost Of Turning Military Aircraft Into Uber For Powerful Civilians
“I cursed the man who told my daddy a military plane was going to Lagos.” That was the caption on a video I watched last night. The lady in the video had lost her brother in the recent plane crash. She is a sister to Ukeme David, a student of Akwa Ibom State University, who […]
The recent plane crash in Igbokoda, Ondo State, claimed the lives of 25 Nigerians, including at least five civilians. Among the deceased was Ukeme David, a student at Akwa Ibom State University, who lost his brother in the incident. The aircraft involved, a Nigerian Air Force ATR-42-500MP Maritime Patrol Aircraft, was supposed to be carrying only military personnel but was instead used as an expensive luxury shuttle for powerful civilians and their families.
The aircraft, NAF 931, was not intended for civilian transport and had been returned from maintenance in Germany just weeks prior to the crash. Despite this, it was cleared to carry 20 passengers, including civilians, for a trip to Lagos the day before the crash. The misuse of this surveillance plane highlights a pattern where military assets, intended for combating terrorism and piracy, are being used as personal shuttles for the influential, eroding discipline and wasting taxpayer money.
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