Nigeria Content Online

Nigeria’s largest
helicopter company, Bristow Limited, has said that the federal
government’s amnesty programme for militants has improved the level of
aviation safety in the area. Describing the amnesty initiative as one
that has “positively worked” for the aviation industry, the carrier
whose major operations in the country revolves around the Niger Delta
region explained that prior to the pardon for militants in the region,
its operations and those of other airlines were hampered as the
combative youths occasionally attacked their facilities with arms.

“The amnesty has
worked. Before the amnesty, we were concerned because we needed to fly
at a very high level to avoid arms fire. As long as our clients tell us
that it is a hot area, we don’t go there,” said Akin Oni, managing
director of the helicopter company, during a briefing at the company’s
head office in Lagos over the weekend.

Mr. Oni explained
that before the amnesty, Bristow and other helicopter companies and oil
firms within the region had been working together in the sharing of
intelligence in order not to fall victim to assaults from the
militants, adding that carrier, which has over 90 percent of its
investment in the Niger Delta often stayed away from the area whenever
there was trouble.

“Once again, I will
say that the amnesty has worked. The oil companies have been very
cooperative; we are not a military service. Once there is possible
trouble in the area, we don’t go there, so we work on the intelligence
to avoid losing our facilities,” he said.

Last year, the
federal government of Nigeria through the Niger Delta Development
Commission declared amnesty to militants in the region, who before the
official pardon from the government, engaged in the destruction of
lives and property in a bid to press home their demands.

“You will agree
that the level of unrest in the Niger Delta, which had drastic effects
on the economy of the country, was calmed after the government
intervened in the form of amnesty last year,” said Beggi Fidelis, camp
support staff and an ex-militant during the recent unveiling of 212
transformed ex-militants in Lagos being prepared for vocational
training in Ghana.

Meanwhile, Mr. Oni
disclosed that the airline was working to ensure that safety in the
industry is sustained, as he noted that the forthcoming safety and
security seminar being organized by Bristow would focus on the need to
guarantee an accident-free aviation sector in Nigeria.

“There are
insinuations that it is not possible not to have accidents, we believe
it is possible. Accidents don’t just happen, several things happen
before you get to that terrible situation where you have to go and
clean up blood,” he said. “What we are interested in is zero accident
and that is what we are doing.”