“Don’t Dismantle NCAT!” – Captain Jibrin Warns Tinubu Over Aviation College Split
Ex-Aviation Director Says Decentralisation Threatens Safety, Training Standards and National Unity
From Ahmad Saka, Bauchi
A retired Director from the Ministry of Aviation, Captain Muhammad Bala Jibrin, has issued a passionate appeal to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, urging him to halt the planned decentralisation of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria. He warns that the move would dismantle decades of synergy critical to Nigeria’s aviation safety and training excellence.
In an open letter shared with journalists in Bauchi, Jibrin criticized the federal government’s plan to fragment NCAT into six regional centres, describing it as “ill-advised” and “a threat to national aviation standards.”
“NCAT is not just a school; it’s an ecosystem,” Jibrin said. “Each department—from flying to air traffic control—relies on the other to deliver real-world, hands-on training that simulators alone cannot replicate.”
He likened the aviation school’s current setup to world-class standards, drawing comparisons with his experience at the Florida Institute of Technology. “Even the aircraft we used—Piper Aztec-F—is the same model I trained with in the U.S.,” he said.
Citing weather advantages, expansive land, and Zaria’s central location, Jibrin stressed that these factors make it ideal for uninterrupted flight training. “You can fly nearly 300 days a year in Zaria,” he said. “It’s Nigeria’s Florida.”
The retired pilot also took a swipe at Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo for recent decisions, including granting an airstrip license near a church along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway. Jibrin called it a “disaster in the making,” citing safety and security risks.
He further criticized the appointment of eleven NCAA directors from a single faith and a lopsided list of training coordinators—17 Christians to one Muslim—as violations of the Federal Character principle.
Calling on Tinubu to act decisively, he said: “Let NCAT celebrate 60 years of service as one united institution. The aviation sector depends on it.”
Jibrin emphasized that his letter is not politically motivated but a duty-bound call to protect Nigeria’s aviation legacy. “This is not personal. It’s national.”
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