By Chiawo Nwankwo, Abuja
Published: Tuesday, 31 Oct 2006

Besides, he called for a thorough investigation of the ADC plane crash in Abuja, in which 96 passengers perished.

The reports are on the tragedy involving planes belonging to Bellview Airline, Sosoliso Airline, a Nigeria Air Force Dornier military jet, and a private jet. The accidents happened between October 2005 and October 2006.

Masari, who expressed shock over Sunday air crash, said findings of how and why previous mishaps happened, would help the country to stem a recurrence.

He described last Sunday‘s crash as ”a monumental disaster to the entire country, the people of Sokoto State and the Muslim Ummah in general.”

His reaction was contained in a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Mr. Adamu Marshal.

According to Masari, only government‘s strict enforcement of aviation safety regulation will curb further disasters in the aviation sector.

Other lawmakers that spoke on the incident demanded government‘s implementation of reports of Air Vice Marshal Paul Dike led-ad-hoc committee, which investigated the Sosoliso crash in Port-Harcourt last year and general safety in the aviation industry.

A member of the House, Mr. Frank Ineke, said aviation laws must compel pilots to obey safety instructions from control towers and weather experts.

Ineke‘s comment came against the backdrop of a statement credited to the Minister of Aviation, Dr. Babalola Borisade, that the pilot of the ill-fated ADC plane, ignored cautions from the control towers.

”We need to insist that we have fundamental rules that must be obeyed. That is the responsibility of government. I don‘t see how we should continue to lose souls in air accident too often,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mr. Frank Nweke Jnr, on Monday said the Federal Government was targeting a “safest skies” initiative in the aviation sector.