NSIB Addresses Airport Safety Concerns Raised by US, Disagrees totally with findings on Wigwe’s Helicopter Crash
May 15, 2025
The Director General of the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), Alex Bade says the bureau does not agree with the assessment by the U.S. State Department Suggesting Nigerian airports are generally unsafe.
In a statement by the Director, Public Affairs and Family Assistance, NSIB Bimbo Olawumi Oladeji said Captain Bade acknowledged that challenges such as perimeter fencing and instances of wildlife intrusion exist in some airports.
However, he emphasised that these are not unique to Nigeria and occurs at airports globally, including in the United States.
Regarding the recent incident in Asaba, where an aircraft was reported to have encountered animals on the runway, the DG clarified that the aircraft continued its journey to Abuja without any damage.
He further stated that such occurrences involving animals on runways are rare in Nigeria.
On the investigation into the Helicopter Crash involving the Late Herbert Wigwes on the 9th of February, 2024 in the United State, Captain Bade corrected the assertion that the NSIB worked “side-by-side” with the U.S National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), saying NSIB was only an interested party, and was kept abreast of the process by the NTSB, who led the investigation in the U.S.
NSIB expressed different view highlighting systematic failure, adding that the blame shouldn’t be placed solely on the pilot but on the system that Failed to mitigate risks also.