By ITOHAN ABARA-LASERIAN

The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) on Tuesday held an Aircraft Emergency Tabletop Exercise to educate aviation stakeholders on managing aircraft emergencies and disaster situations.

The exercise took place at Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), gathering key players in emergency management and Search and Rescue (SAR) from various aviation agencies.

Director of Air Traffic Services at NAMA, Mr John Tayo, urged participants to take the exercise seriously for better preparedness during real emergencies.

Tayo was represented at the event by the General Manager of NAMA’s SAR unit, Mr Sunday Iwalaiye.

He stressed that Search and Rescue is a shared responsibility and organised the event into two sessions for greater effectiveness and engagement.

“To ensure success, we separated the stakeholders’ meeting from the actual aircraft emergency exercise.

“We are categorising Search and Rescue responsibilities into groups to define each agency’s specific role clearly,” Tayo said.

He noted that a SAR incident involving aircraft qualifies as an aeronautical emergency, making clarity of roles crucial for efficiency.

Tayo also urged the media to take the event seriously and ensure wide public coverage.

Regional General Manager, South West at FAAN, Mr Olatokunbo Arewa, praised the coordinators for organising the valuable training session.

“This is worth supporting. No one wants emergencies, but we must be prepared. Stakeholders must take note and know their duties,” he said.

Alh. Safo Jiya from the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) highlighted the critical role of safety in all aviation activities.

“Safety is our top priority at NCAA. We’re here to learn and remain focused on our responsibilities,” he stated.

Mr Chris Onohwoakpo, Quality Assurance Manager at MMIA, reiterated the need for readiness in case of unexpected emergencies.

“Though we don’t wish for disasters, we must know how to handle them effectively when they occur,” he said.

Mrs Adenike Ibitayo, Head of SAR at NEMA Lagos, noted that the most recent global aviation disaster was also unforeseen.

“We have representatives from nearly all airlines here. Let’s collaborate, spot weaknesses, and improve our emergency response,” she urged.

Mr Jamin Salami of LASEMA said preventing disasters was just as vital as responding to them, to improve agency preparedness.

Search Mission Coordinator at MMIA, Mr David Igberaese, who led the exercise, said NAMA routinely conducts joint drills with NEMA.

According to him, these collaborations aim to enhance coordination and save the highest number of lives in the shortest possible time.

“ICAO mandates a 24-hour watch for all SAR operations. Since some emergencies occur in remote areas, locals — like farmers — often serve as the first responders,” he noted.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the highlight of the event was a simulated SAR scenario followed by a debriefing session.

Agencies present included the Nigeria Customs Service, Immigration Service, DSS, FRSC, Fire Service, NEMA, LASEMA, and the Nigerian Police.

Also present were the Airline Operators of Nigeria and the Lagos State Ambulance Services, reinforcing inter-agency collaboration. (NAN)