The Federal Government has launched an investigation into the activities of a group which claimed responsibility for the recent string of air disasters in the country, particularly those involving Bellview, Sosoliso and ADC airliners, in which over 300 lives were lost.
The development came just as the Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, vowed to ground any airline that as much as ferried a box of matches on its flight, saying the federal government was leaving no stone unturned in its quest to make Nigerian skies as �humanly safe as possible.�
THISDAY gathered that the federal government, which all along had been working on the sabotage theory, was reportedly unsettled by a recent message by a particular group claiming responsibility for �bombing� Bellview, Sosoliso and ADC airliners.
Already, the State Security Service (SSS), is working on the link between a text message sent to some �top government functionaries� and the air mishaps involving the airliners, the service spokesperson, Mr. Ado Muazu told THISDAY yesterday.
The message, from GSM number 08022832512 was captioned ‘Breaking Silence from Concerned Aviation Workers (CAW)’, and ran thus: �We, aviation workers did the Bellview, Sosoliso, and today�s ADC aircrash. We are equipped with over 100 automated remote-controlled explosives stored in 20 airport.
“Our demands: Pay Nigeria Airways� workers all (their) entitlements. Release (report of) Onwuzita (panel) of Inquiry. Remove (Professor Babalola) Borisade as Aviation Minister. Pay to avoid Arik Air and Virgin Nigeria (becoming victims). Same message sent to Captain M. Joji, secretary-general, Private NMPERATO.�
When contacted, Aviation minister, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode expressed confidence in the ability of the SSS to get to the root of the matter. He confirmed a link between the terror alert and the heightening of security measures in the airports.
On the explosive substances intercepted by Bellview airlines last week, the minister said it was unfair to brand him a scare monger, saying that he was guided by the philosophy of �prevention is always better than cure.�
Fani-Kayode further vowed that under his watch as Aviation minister, any Nigerian airliner that flies any explosive substance under any guise would come under the hammer.
�Be they high or low density explosives, fireworks, batteries, cigarette lighters, or even matches, these are substances banned by local and international aviation authorities, and any airline that flouts this law shall be penalised severely,� said the minister.
Fani-Kayode frowned at what he described as “prejudicial comments” by people he said “have no idea what the law says about such (explosive) substances being placed on planes”, adding he would not be deterred.
“I have a job to do: To protect Nigerians in the sky and make our skies safer. This I vow to do not minding whose ox is gored. Those operating flying coffins had better prepare for war, because we will not only expose you, but make sure you face the law,� declared the minister.
He told THISDAY that a week before the interception of the explosives meant to be carried into the Bellview flight, providence had averted what would have been another �unfortunate but avoidable incident� when, according to the minister, a combustible substance from a courier company almost set an aircraft ablaze.
Confirming the incident, Bellview Managing Director, Mr. Kayode Odukoya, said a particular courier company had mischievously failed to declare that their cargo contained some combustible substances which the MD said almost ignited due to the high temperatures and pressure.
He narrated to THISDAY how �common� air conditioner compressors on board an Atlanta-US-based airliner, ValueJet, led to the mid-air explosion of the aircraft off the coast of Miami, Florida, leading to several �avoidable� deaths.
�We need not wait for fully blown bombs to down an aircraft. These crafts cost a lot of money so no safety measure can be said to be too much to secure them and the irreplaceable lives on board. I think the minister deserves commendation for exposing the attempted criminal shipment of the hazardous substances,� Odukoya declared.
In a related development, Aviation Minister, Fani-Kayode weekend promised to ensure that more local operators would be assigned international routes to encourage their development.
Nov272006