Nigeria’s largest helicopter company, Bristow Limited, has said that the federal government’s amnesty programme for militants has improved the level of aviation safety in the area. Describing the amnesty initiative as one that has “positively worked” for the aviation industry, the carrier whose major operations in the country revolves around the Niger Delta region explained that prior to the pardon for militants in the region, its operations and those of other airlines were hampered as the combative youths occasionally attacked their facilities with arms.
“The amnesty has worked. Before the amnesty, we were concerned because we needed to fly at a very high level to avoid arms fire. As long as our clients tell us that it is a hot area, we don’t go there,” said Akin Oni, managing director of the helicopter company, during a briefing at the company’s head office in Lagos over the weekend.
Mr. Oni explained that before the amnesty, Bristow and other helicopter companies and oil firms within the region had been working together in the sharing of intelligence in order not to fall victim to assaults from the militants, adding that carrier, which has over 90 percent of its investment in the Niger Delta often stayed away from the area whenever there was trouble.
“Once again, I will say that the amnesty has worked. The oil companies have been very cooperative; we are not a military service. Once there is possible trouble in the area, we don’t go there, so we work on the intelligence to avoid losing our facilities,” he said.
Last year, the federal government of Nigeria through the Niger Delta Development Commission declared amnesty to militants in the region, who before the official pardon from the government, engaged in the destruction of lives and property in a bid to press home their demands.
“You will agree that the level of unrest in the Niger Delta, which had drastic effects on the economy of the country, was calmed after the government intervened in the form of amnesty last year,” said Beggi Fidelis, camp support staff and an ex-militant during the recent unveiling of 212 transformed ex-militants in Lagos being prepared for vocational training in Ghana.
Meanwhile, Mr. Oni disclosed that the airline was working to ensure that safety in the industry is sustained, as he noted that the forthcoming safety and security seminar being organized by Bristow would focus on the need to guarantee an accident-free aviation sector in Nigeria.
“There are insinuations that it is not possible not to have accidents, we believe it is possible. Accidents don’t just happen, several things happen before you get to that terrible situation where you have to go and clean up blood,” he said. “What we are interested in is zero accident and that is what we are doing.”