Drones, aircraft to be deployed for surveilling oil installations – NSCDC

Dr Ade Abolurin, Commandant-General, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), says the Corps had concluded plans to deploy about 500 drones and aircraft for proper surveillance of oil installations in the country. Abolurin disclosed this on Monday in Abuja at a meeting with senior officers of the Corps as part of efforts to strengthen its operational strategy.

He said that the move was in line with the new administration’s resolve to tackle the issue of oil theft headlong to boost the economic revenue accrued to the country. The NSCDC boss, who decried the spate of pipeline vandalism and oil theft in the country, said the corps was working round the clock to stem the tide.

He said the corps was exploring new ways to monitor and protect the pipelines, especially the use of technology and sophisticated gadgets to track down the vandals. “I can assure you that we are already exploring new approaches which will include the massive deployment of technology as opposed to the outdated conventional approach you are use to,’’ he said.

He said that some drones had already been deployed on a test run basis in some areas in the Niger Delta region such as Bayelsa, to test its efficacy. Abolurin also said that officers of the corp’s anti-vandalism unit had also undergone refresher training in line with international best practice to deal with the menace.

He said that so far this year about, 250 vandals had been directly arrested, while another 100 were arrested by other security agencies and handed over to them for prosecution, with 35 successfully convicted. He said the corps had also stepped up its protection of other critical infrastructure in the country such as power installation, telecommunication masts and equipment so as to ensure better service delivery to Nigerians.

The commandant-general called on the media, host communities and other stakeholders to cooperate with the NSCDC and other security agencies to tackle the challenge of oil theft and pipeline vandalism. On the issue of the recent promotion exercise in the corps, he said the process was done transparently and in line with due process as opposed to insinuations in some quarters.

He assured that the NSCDC would continue to do its best to ensure the security of lives and property in line with its mandate.

 

Drones, aircraft to be deployed for surveilling oil installations – NSCDC

Buhari receives numbers of total aircraft use by MDA

• Presidency denies sale of nine aircrafts

Indications have emerged that the Federal Government may soon embark on the sale of aircraft owned by its ministries, departments and agencies.

The affected aircraft Sunday Punch learnt are those no longer in use by the MDAs due to old age or lack of fund and maintenance.

A national newspaper had reported on Friday that President Muhammadu Buhari had ordered the sale of nine aircraft in the Presidential Air Fleet but this was denied by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mr. Garba Shehu.

However, findings by our correspondent on Saturday showed that the President had received a report, detailing the total number of aircraft in the PAF, and the number and types of aircraft owned by ministries, departments and agencies.

As of press time on Saturday, it was not clear if President Buhari had agreed with the report or given approval for the sale of some aircraft in the PAF and those owned by the MDAs.

Sources in the Presidency, who are aware of the content of the report, however told our correspondent that the report listed a total of 13 aircraft under the PAF.

These include the nine aircraft that are being used by the President and four others that are categorised under the Executive Airlift.

The Executive Airlift craft are used for carrying top government officials like the Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Heads of State of other countries and other top government officials who may be on special national assignments.

The source listed the nine aircraft that are being used by the President as Boeing Business Jet 737 (Air Force 001, Gulfstream 550 (bought in 2011), two Falcon 7X planes (bought in 2012), Hawker Sidlley 4000 (bought in 2011), Gulfstream V, two Augusta 139 helicopter, and one Augusta 101 helicopter.

The four aircraft used for Executive Airlift are Falcon 900, Dornier 229 King D200, and Cessna Citation jet.

It was learnt from Presidency sources that the report also listed over 25 aircraft as belonging to MDAs out of which a significant number must be sold.

These include Nigeria Customs Service, which has four aircraft namely two Bell helicopters, one Dornier 228and one Cessna Citation private jet; the Nigerian Police Force, which has 10 helicopters and one Cessna Sovereign private jet; and the Nigeria Immigration Service, which has six aircraft that are being used for border patrol.

Others are the National Emergency Management Agency, which has four helicopters and one Cessna Encorprivate jet; the Ministry of Aviation, which has a Hawker Siddley calibration jet that is not being used; and the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria which has six German-made helicopters that are no longer serviceable.

The source said, “The report before the President recommended that all these aircraft numbering over 25 should be drastically reduced by selling most of them. Most of them are avenues for corruption, wastage and leakages in the system.

“Some of the MDAs are not running all the aircraft and there are budgetary provisions that are being made for their maintenance and running on yearly basis. There are no pilots flying some of the helicopters. Since most of them are not being maintained and run, the report said they should be sold and the money put in the treasury. Only a few of the aircraft will be retained. Apart from the helicopters that are used for operations, some of the MDAs have ultra-modern and expensive private jets. The report is querying what they are using them for.”

As for the 13 aircraft in the PAF, it is still unclear if any or some of them will be sold.

But aviation experts believe the size of the PAF, which is one of the largest in Africa and the second largest airline.

The General Secretary, Aviation Round Table, an industry pressure group, Group Captain John Ojikutu, said, he was not expecting anything less from the President because the actions were long overdue.

According to him, the Buhari administration needs to do more.

He said, “I don’t expect anything less from President Muhammadu Buhari if it is true. We know very well that we have been very wasteful as a country. We have also been wasteful in the way individuals and MDAs acquire private aircraft that they don’t use.

“In the United Kingdom, the Prime Minister David Cameron charters aircraft from the British Airways, while the Pope travels by Alitalia Air. We have lots of recklessness in this part of the world. It is only in Africa you see these things. There are lots of things we need to attend to.”

A former Assistant General Secretary, Airline Operators of Nigeria, Mr. Muhammed Tukur, also said the aircraft could be sold to both airline operators and private individuals who could use them for commercial purposes.

He argued that this could generate more revenue and create jobs.

Buhari receives numbers of total aircraft use by MDA

Buhari Orders Disposal of Nine Presidential Aircraft to Cut Cost

As part of the federal government’s cost measures, President Muhammadu Buhari has directed that nine of the VIP transport aircraft under the presidential fleet should be sold.

Industry sources informed THISDAY that the presidential fleet, which are registered as Nigerian Air Force aircraft, is one of the largest in Africa and the third largest in Nigeria after Arik Air and Aerocontractors.

General Buhari

According to an aviation source, who is aware of the directive to sell the aircraft, the presidency has a number of serviceable and unserviceable aircraft that need to be disposed of in order to reduce the amount spent by the federal government for aircraft maintenance annually.

“Nine, which still have market value, are to be sold immediately to reduce maintenance costs,” he said.

For years, the federal government has spent over N12 billion annually for the maintenance of the presidential fleet.

Although information on the exact size of the fleet is treated as classified information, the fleet, according to aviation sources, is believed to comprise about 16 aircraft, chief of which is the Boeing 738 BBJ, NAF 001 or Eagle One, used by the president for his travels.

With its luxury configuration comprising a master bedroom, washrooms and showers, a conference and dinning area, and a living area, the plane seats 25 to 50 passengers and would cost at least $100 million to replace today.

Eagle One can spend 12 hours in the air, covering 11,489 kilomtres or 6,200 nautical miles.

In addition to the Boeing 733 reserved for the president, the fleet boasts two Gulfstream 550 jets. The Gulfstream 550 can seat eight to 18 passengers, depending on the configuration, and has a cruiser range of 12,501 kilometres or 6,750 nautical miles. A new luxury Gulfstream 550 would cost an estimated $53.5 million.

According to Wikipedia, other planes in the Nigerian Air Force VIP transport fleet include two Dassault Falcon 7X jets, one Hawker Siddeley 125-800 and one Cessna 550 Citation II.

Information from a Nigerian web portal and Nigerian Air Force sources further revealed that the fleet also boasts two Dassault Falcon 900 jets, a Gulfstream IVSP, a Gulfstream V, a Dornier Do 228, which can carry 19 passengers, one Beechcraft King Air B200, and three AugustaWestland AW139 helicopters.

Sources said each of the two Dassault Falcon 7X jets were purchased for $51.1 million in 2010 while the Gulfstream 550 cost $53.3 million.

Aviation experts also put the average price of the Falcon 900 at $35 million; Gulfstream IVSP at $40 million; Gulfstream V at $45 million; Cessna Citation at $7 million; and the Hawker Siddeley at $15 million.

THISDAY also discovered that though all the aircraft are under the presidential fleet, about eight of the planes are reserved strictly for the president.

These are the Boeing 737, the two Gulfstream 550 jets, the Gulfstream V jet, two Falcon 7X planes, the Hawker Siddeley aircraft and one AugustaWestland chopper.

Others are reserved for executive airlift. Aircraft used for this function include the two Falcon 900 planes, the Dornier, the Cessna Citation, the Beechracft King Air, and two AugustaWestland choppers.

Aircraft reserved for executive airlift are used by the Vice-President, Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and could be used to convey African heads of states visiting or departing Nigeria. (Thisdaylive)

 

 

Buhari Orders Disposal of Nine Presidential Aircraft to Cut Cost

Releasing of Rivers Bombardier aircraft not exciting - Rivers State Government

By Ehi Ekhator

Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has said that it was not a surprising news to hear that the Federal Government of Nigeria finally released the state-owned Bombardier aircraft as there was no justifiable reason to hold it.

This was contained in a statement by the state Publicity Secretary, Mr. Chris Fineborn.

Chris said that the story that would have made the people of rivers state excited were the return of Soku oil wells and other things allegedly given to other states, and the government to resume work on Train 7 of the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas, NLNG, Bonny in Rivers State.

The statement read: “APC Rivers State Chapter, received the news of release of the Rivers State Government-owned Bombardier aircraft by the federal authorities without any excitement whatsoever.”

 

Releasing of Rivers Bombardier aircraft not exciting - Rivers State Government