By Chinelo Obogo, Lagos

The Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Capt Musa Nuhu, has said it is very likely that an insider may have been responsible for the theft of Air Air’s Flight Management System two weeks ago.

Speaking to the media at the weekend in Lagos, Nuhu said whoever removed the component, did it professionally without damaging anything else.

He described the theft as an isolated case and not enough to categorise the nation’s airports’ security is porous.

Last week Daily Sun reported that a Boeing 737-73V, with registration number EI-ULN, belonging to Arik Air was burgled at the domestic terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Lagos and its Flight Management System.

A source at the airline confirmed to Daily Sun that the theft took place in the late hours of Wednesday 19 to the early hours of Thursday 20 and this led to flights cancellations and postponement.

Capt Nuhu said investigations are ongoing on the incident, but that it cannot be described as vandalism.

“Investigations are ongoing on the incident, but I won’t say it was vandalism. What happened is that somebody who obviously knew where the aircraft is, went to the E and E2 compartments, removed a component professionally without damaging anything. So, figure out that for yourself.

“As far as I am concerned, it is an ongoing investigation. So, we will wait for the outcome. It is very clear that I cannot go to the very technical part of an aircraft and remove something there. It means I must know something about it and I am not new to the system. Whoever did that job knew what he was doing. The security agencies are investigating the issue,” he said.

On security at the airport, the NCAA DG said: “How many aircraft have been vandalised in Nigeria in the past 10 years? Let’s not use a single issue to destroy our country. This is one incident, which seems to have been done by a professional, maybe an insider. Have we had any cases of people going to vandalise an aircraft in the last 10 years? This is one case and we should not use it to destroy the reputation of our industry.”

Capt Nuhu also decried the difficulty in removing unserviceable aircraft at the airports despite several attempts, stating that it causes challenges including ramp congestion, and has safety and security implications while denying growth to the industry.

“Even before the National Assembly made a pronouncement on unserviceable aircraft, we have made attempts to remove them, but unfortunately, a lot of them have court cases and there is a kind of restriction on FAAN. So, it is a difficult situation, but we are having a meeting sometime next week to discuss this and see what we can do.

“There are so many implications for these aircraft; it is congesting the ramp and to me, it has safety implications and it impedes the growth of the industry. Unused aircraft are parked and taking space where new and serviceable aircraft can take. So, it’s a very grave concern.

“We have discussed with FAAN even before the National Assembly talked on it. Court cases can sometimes tie your hands because if you go and do something, the court will find you in contempt of court,” he said.