The Accident Investigation Bureau, Nigeria (AIB -N) said it has been mandated by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) to lead the investigation into the crash of a military aircraft that occurred on Friday at Kaduna International Airport.

The crash had onboard 11 people including the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru.

This is a clear departure from the past when military plane crashes were investigated by a board within the Nigerian Airforce without the involvement of the AIB, a body statutorily set up to investigate air accidents and serious incidents in the aviation sector.

Aviation experts have clamoured for the involvement of the civil authorities in the investigation of military crashes following repeated incidents.

General Manager, Public Affairs of AIB, Tunji Oketunbi, in a statement, disclosed that the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) from the accidented Beechcraft 350 aircraft have been recovered.

He said investigation has commenced.

“Investigators will download and analyse vital information contained in the recorders at the AIB-N’s world class Flight Safety Laboratory, in Abuja,” Oketunbi said.

The crash, which occurred on landing, claimed 11 lives including the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen Ibrahim Attahiru, his aides, and the flight crew.

Oketunbi said the mandate given to AIB-N is based on the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed between the two agencies on July 1, 2020 covering areas of mutual assistance.