NCAA team audits Azman in Lagos, Abuja, 2 other locations

A team of Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) inspectors, yesterday, commenced a comprehensive audit of Azman Air operations in four major operational areas across the country.

This followed Tuesday’s grounding of the airline’s entire operations over frequent incidents.

Daily Trust reports that the audit was going on simultaneously in Lagos, Abuja, Kano and Kaduna.

This is just as the airline is said to be pushing for the lifting of the suspension to allow it continue its operations across the country.

As of the time of filing this report, the team, it was learnt, had concluded the audit in Abuja and was at advanced stage in other locations.

A source told Daily Trust yesterday that the audit involved assessment of the maintenance programmes of the airline. The teams would also ascertain the airworthiness of the aircraft in the fleet of the airline.

“We are doing everything possible to fast-track the audit procedure in order to lift the suspension as soon as possible. There is no vendetta or witchhunting; we are doing this to safeguard the safety of air travelers. And I can tell you, very soon, the audit would be over,” an official of the NCAA, who spoke on condition of anonymity said.

Meanwhile, Daily Trust learnt that the NCAA has been under intense pressure to lift the suspension slammed on the airline.

A spokesman of the airline, Mr Nura Aliyu, confirmed to our correspondent that the audit was concluded in Abuja Tuesday.

He expressed optimism that the suspension would not last to enable the airline to continue to serve the thousands of passengers stranded across its route network.

The airline, with five Boeing 737 aircraft flies into 10 destinations across the country, especially the Northern routes including Kano, its operational base; Kaduna, Maiduguri, Yola, Birnin Kebbi, among others.