Bayelsa helicopter crash: Families of victims will not be paid compensation

 

As Nigerians mourn the death of former Kaduna State governor Patrick Yakowa and former national security adviser (NSA) Andrew Azazi, an aviation expert and retired Air Force officer, Group Capt. John Ojikutu (retd) has said they will not be paid any form of compensation.

This was unlike the $100,000 paid families of air crash victims in civil aviation. In a telephone interview, Ojikutu said: “Anyone who boards a military aircraft knows it’s just another good ride.

“The aircraft is strictly for military operations/training and not for commercial purposes. It does not carry insurance for non-military functions. Who do you expect to pay compensation? The Defence Ministry or the Navy? It’s an unfortunate accident, but they are not entitled to any compensation.

“It’s not offering commercial service which the civil aviation aircraft are insured for,” he said.

Ojikutu further said the issue of compensation had been a major problem in civil aviation as most airlines were yet to pay families of victims the full compensation. “You are talking about compensation, has Dana, Sosoliso, ADC and others paid the full $100,000 as stipulated by ICAO?” he said.

 

 

 

 

(DAILY SUN)