Aircraft Owners and Pilot Association, has advised victims families in the ill-fated United States of America helicopter tragedy, against nasty litigation in court, ahead of the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) Report, which is yet-to-be released.
Late Chief Executive officer and co-founder of Access Bank, Wigwe University, Herbert Wigwe died in a helicopter crash that occured on February 9th 2024.
Wigwe son, wife and Mr. Abimbola Ogunbanjo, the former group chairman of Nigerian Exchange Group Plc (NGX Group) were the crash.
Speaking on Arise Television breakfast programme on Friday April 12, 2024, the President of Aircraft Owners and Pilot Association, Dr Alex Nwuba picked holes in the suit filed by relatives of Ogunbanjo in the court filing on Wednesday against charter company, Orbic Air, improperly flew the helicopter despite a “wintry mix” of snowy and rainy conditions in the Mojave Desert where the crash, may be counterproductive without the availability of the NSIB Report.
Multiple reports suggest that one of the attorneys who filed the lawsuit, Andrew C. Robb, noted Ogunbanjo’s family is seeking “answers and accountability”.
Nwuba said, “The NSIB hasn’t complete it’s investigation yet. It is most unfortunate that it affected my sister and my Nephew, Chizoba, also know as ‘Chizzy’.
“The Ogunbajo is a legal family. You will probably know that they are all ready.
“On our part, it will be most appropriate to allow the NSIB to conclude its investigation, which will indicate the liability of the helicopter operator, which seems to have a history of issues.
“So, it will be presumptuous as a family now to go to court and start a legal matter when the NSIB has not fully disclosed its Report. Nobody can investigate this matte other than the NSIB.
“On that point of view, we are patient we are waiting hopefully. There are other family members who will have an input into this process and may decide to do something different.
“Nobody is running away. Nothing is going to happen in the interim. But we have to be strategic about this issue’, Nwumba said.
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