Transport accident and incident investigation in Nigeria has undergone significant modernisation under the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), formerly known as the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB).
This was the position of Tijjani Galadima, when he visited the NSIB headquarters in Abuja on a familiarisation tour on Monday.
Galadima, who is the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Adamawa State visited the NSIB headquarters alongside his running mate, Adamu Kamale, where they met with the director-general of the Bureau, Capt. Alex Badeh Jr.
Galadima said the visit provided an opportunity for the delegation to gain firsthand insight into the operations of the safety investigation agency and its role in strengthening transportation safety across the country.
He said the NSIB, under Badeh’s leadership, had continued to advance modern approaches to transport accident investigation, with particular attention to interventions and safety engagements in Adamawa State.
According to Galadima, the Bureau’s evidence-based approach to accident investigation demonstrates the importance of identifying the causes and contributing factors behind transportation incidents and translating findings into measures capable of preventing recurrence.
He said the delegation was particularly interested in understanding the Bureau’s multimodal responsibilities and its collaboration with state institutions and other stakeholders to improve transportation safety.
Receiving the delegation, Badeh outlined the mandate and expanding operations of the NSIB, explaining that the Bureau investigates accidents and serious incidents across aviation, rail, road and marine transportation.
He said NSIB investigations are conducted independently to establish the causes and contributing factors of accidents and incidents, identify safety deficiencies and issue recommendations aimed at preventing similar occurrences.
Badeh also briefed the delegation on the Bureau’s interventions and institutional engagements in Adamawa State, noting that strengthening transportation safety requires sustained cooperation between federal and state institutions, transport operators, emergency-response agencies and other stakeholders.
He explained that the Bureau’s responsibilities extend beyond investigating accidents after they occur, stressing the need to learn from previous occurrences and convert investigation findings into preventive safety actions.
“Safety recommendations,” he explained, are designed to address identified deficiencies and provide practical measures that can assist regulators, operators and other stakeholders in improving their systems.
The NSIB Director-General thereafter led the Adamawa delegation on a tour of key facilities at the Bureau’s headquarters.
The visitors inspected the NSIB laboratory, where they were shown technical facilities used by investigators in examining and analysing evidence recovered from accident scenes.
The delegation also visited the Bureau’s training facilities, where Badeh highlighted the importance of specialised training and continuous professional development in building the capacity of safety investigators.
