AIB trains police officers in accident investigation

Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) has trained men of the Nigerian police to effectively secure aircraft accident sites and ensure that evidence are not tampered with.The police officers, 20 in number, constitute the first batch of the training programme. They were drawn from the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA) and Special Protection Unit, Lagos commands. Second batch of the training is scheduled for Abuja next week.

General Manger, Security and Industries AIB, Olumide Osineye, said the exercise would further enhance the performance of accident investigators in the bureau in case of an accident.

Osineye told reporters that the novel idea was the brainchild of the AIB Commissioner, Akin Olateru, who insisted that police officers must be adequately trained to support its accident investigation.

Osineye explained that the training was put together to provide the aviation security awareness to police officers and also to explain the roles of the police at aircraft accident sites.

He said: “When an accident occurs, the wreckage is a very important entity and there are items of the aircraft that need to be preserved. Experience has shown that most of our police officers are just pulled from anywhere without any background or awareness on accident investigation.

“The danger is that when you are not aware, you will just do to the best of your limits, but when you are aware, you know the rudiments, you know the procedures and what should be avoided, protected and preserved.

“So, the main benefit is that this category of people will be able to control an accident site so that there will not be any tampering with the evidences or critical items like the Flight Data Recorder and Voice Data Recorder and other relevant items that can help in investigation of an accident,” Osineye said.

The General Manager assured that the exercise would be conducted quarterly while efforts would be made to ensure that majority of police officers in the country were trained.In case of redeployment of officers, Osineye insisted that it would still be an added advantage to the industry as accident could occur anywhere within the country without prior notice.