…Demandsindependentjudicialenquiry

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)on Wednesday alleged that the military plane crashes in the country was sabotaging the security architecture of Nigeria as the partyraises alarm over yet another crash of a military plane belonging to the Nigerian Airforce (NAF) in Kaduna

on Tuesday, April 19, 2022 with officers reportedly killed in the

incident.

PDP in a statement made available to News Express by its national scribe, DeboOlogunagba, lamented the military plane crashes, saying it is a disturbing trend that is already causing growing public fears over possible security breaches.

“The disturbing trend is the fact that after each crash, the APC

government comes up with a public announcement to investigate the

circumstances surrounding the mishap but typical of the administration,

such investigation went cold”, PDP said.

According to the statement, “The PDP points to the growing public apprehension of possible security

compromises and complicity in the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led

administration, leading to incessant unexplained military aircraft

crashes in the country in the last seven years.

“This pattern gives credence to the strong suspicion among Nigerians that

there is complicity or sabotage in our national security architecture

including the Airforce which is very critical to any meaningful fight

against terrorism.

“In May last year, just eleven months ago, a NAF aircraft crashed around

Kaduna International Airport, killing the then Chief of Army Staff,

Ibrahim Attahiru and 10 other officers.

It is instructive to note that our nation has experienced no fewer than

11 unexplained military air crashes since the Muhammadu Buhari-led APC

government took over power in 2015.

“The PDP demands for a system-wide independent judicial enquiry to

conduct an investigation into the remote and immediate causes of these

incessant crashes of our military aircrafts especially in the face of

worsening terrorism attacks in our country.

This demand is imperative and consistent with the demands by Nigerians

who have lost faith in the ability of the APC government to conduct a

transparent and credible investigation into any matter, particularly

those relating to our national security.

“Our party is saddened with this trend of event and hereby condoles with

the Nigerian Airforce, the families of the officers involved in the air

crash and prays for the repose of the souls of the departed officers.

The PDP salutes our courageous military officers and charges them not to

be deterred by this very sad and unfortunate incident but to remain

vigilant and focused in their constitutional duty of protecting our

nation especially at this critical point in our national life”.