“We encourage the government to maintain the planes and purchase new ones if existing ones are unserviceable.”
The Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO), USA Chapter, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to probe the recent recurring military plane urgently crashes in the country.
NIDO, in a statement by its Chairman, Eromosele Idahosa, and the Executive Director, Patience Key, on Sunday said the incident was a “national disaster,” adding that a thorough probe is necessary to avert reoccurrence.
The statement added that there was a need to unravel the cause of the crash and similar ones, expressing worry that the military had in the past three months recorded three plane crashes.
In February, a NAF aircraft crashed in Abuja, killing all the seven officers on board, while in March, a NAF Alpha-Jet aircraft crashed in Borno.
The recent NAF aircraft that crashed on Friday in Kaduna killed the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, and 10 others.
The statement stressed that aside from the charge to Mr Buhari to probe the incessant crashes, his regime should also carry out regular maintenance of existing ones.
“We encourage the government to maintain the planes and purchase new ones if existing ones are unserviceable.
“This is in addition to putting implementable structures to secure the whole country and the citizens,” said the statement.
According to NIDO, military aircraft maintenance should be paramount, and the government should purchase aircraft that align with military and intelligence operations.
NIDO urged Mr Buhari’s regime to do all it can “to avoid premature death of those who risk their lives for the security of the country.” The diasporan organisation also commiserated with the families of the crash victims.
(NAN)
