BY OLAPEJU OLUBI
The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) on Tuesday staged an intensive Aircraft Emergency Tabletop Exercise at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, to sharpen the response skills and reflexes of aviation stakeholders in managing aircraft emergencies and disasters.
The high-level drill brought together key players in emergency response, including officials from Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Department of State Security (DSS), Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Federal Fire Service (FFS), National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), Lagos State Ambulance Services (LASAMBUS), Nigerian Police Force (NPF), among others.
Declaring the exercise open, NAMA’s Director of Air Traffic Services, John Tayo, urged participants to approach the event with full commitment and called on the media to ensure robust coverage.
“Other agencies have conducted similar exercises in the past, but they didn’t receive adequate media attention. This effort deserves to be heard,” Tayo said.
Highlighting the collective responsibility of Search and Rescue (SAR), he noted: “This morning, we are combining two critical elements. To get the best results, we will separate the stakeholders’ meeting from the emergency exercise.”
Represented by Mr. Sunday Iwalaiye, NAMA’s General Manager of SAR, Tayo explained the structure of the drill, which included sessions on agency roles and coordinated group responses.
“We cannot begin without first clarifying the duties of each agency. Any search and rescue operation involving an aircraft is an aeronautical emergency,” Iwalaiye emphasised.
Participants at the session stressed the importance of readiness.
Mr. Olatokunbo Arewa, Regional General Manager, South West, FAAN, praised the organisers and reminded stakeholders:
“Emergencies are not desired, but they do happen. It is crucial that we all understand what to do when they arise,” he said.
Representing NCAA, Alhaji Safo Baba Jiya underlined the primacy of safety: “Safety is paramount for us at NCAA. We are here to learn. Let us be mindful of what we are doing here today.”
Emphasising this, Mr. Onohwoakpo Chris, MMIA Quality Assurance Manager, added: “We are gathered here to prepare for situations that we hope will never happen.”
Mrs. Ibitayo Adenike, Head of NEMA’s Search and Rescue Unit, Lagos Operations Office, highlighted the need for synergy:
“The last global aviation disaster was unforeseen. I commend the efforts here today. We must work together to identify gaps and strengthen our preparedness,” she urged.
Engineer Jamin Olayinka Salami of LASEMA called for continuous training: “Exercises like this are important. But beyond that, our main focus should be on preventing disasters in the first place.”
Search Mission Coordinator, MMIA, Mr. Igberaese David, who led the exercise, said it was part of ongoing joint operations between NAMA, NEMA, and NIMASA to boost response capacity.
“Our goal is to rescue the greatest number of people in the shortest possible time. ICAO mandates a 24-hour watch for all search and rescue operations.
He also reminded participants: “Search and rescue is everyone’s business. In remote areas, local residents often become the first responders,” he said.
The exercise climaxed with the activation of a realistic search and rescue scenario, followed by a demonstration and post-event debriefing aimed at refining response strategies and improving coordination among agencies.
