Row in Aviation College, Zaria over alleged diversion of equipment

Picture: Captain Samuel Akinyele Caulcrick NCAT Director

Alleged diversion of modern training equipment purchased by the federal government for the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria to Lagos is brewing discontent and apprehension among staff and students of the college.

While a group that calls itself Concerned Staff of NCAT is alleging that the Rector, Captain Samuel Akinyele Caulcrick, has diverted the equipment for personal gains, Captain Caulcrick on the other hand said the decision to move the equipment to Lagos was taken by the federal government.

Investigation by our correspondent revealed that the federal government purchased a Boeing 737 Next Generation Flight Simulator for NCAT at the cost of about 12 million Euros for training of students and airlines’ crews.

However, the simulator was taken to Lagos on the grounds that there are no commercial flights’ activities in Zaria.

In his reply to a text message sent to him by our correspondent, Captain Caulcrick said; “the federal government felt Lagos would have good returns now for the investment among other things. Besides, the people who would carry out the training are in the airlines, which in turn the college instructors would benefit from.”

But the Concerned Staff of NCAT argue that the college as a training institute has been attracting trainees from all over the globe despite the absence of commercial flights’ activities.

“Wasn’t NCAT providing F-28 Jet Flight Simulator Training for the defunct Nigerian Airways and other airlines from across the globe in the 1980s to date? NCAT trained Caulcrick to be the pilot he is today.

Is he telling the world that he has no capacity to run B-737NG Simulator Training? Caverton Helicopters where the simulator was taken to only specialises in offering helicopter charter services to oil companies and doesn’t know anything about airplane training. We wish to appeal to President Buhari and other well-meaning Nigerians to help return the equipment to the college”, the Concerned Staff said.

By Stephen Lawan