A former Director General of Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and Commissioner Acident Investigation Bureau ( AiB ) Capt Usman Shuaibu Mukhtar is dead.
He died in the early hours of today in Abuja due to complications from diabetics .
The death of the former Chief Executive Officer of NCAA and AIB, was announced this morning by a reliable source via a respected Aviation group platform “Aviation Policy and strategy”.
“I regret to anounce the demise of Captain Muthar Usman (Former DG NCAA). He died around 2am this morning in Kaduna, due to diabetic complications. May his soul rest in perfect peace Ameen,” the source wrote.
CAPT. MUHTAR USMAN’S, A MONUMENTAL LOSS TO THE AVIATION INDUSTRY – SIRIKA
Meanwhile, Minister of Aviation Senator Hadi Sirika has described the death of the immediate past Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) as a monumental loss to the aviation industry.
Reacting to the death which occurred early Wednesday morning, Sirika said that although death is a journey on which everyone must embark at his own appointed time, Usman’s own came at a time the industry needed all capable hands to be on deck to reposition it, considering the depth to which it had descended as a result of the global pandemic.
Captain Muhtar Usman, the Minister said, would be remembered for his contributions to the sector as a pilot, Air accident investigator, industry regulator spanning his time at the defunct Nigeria Airways, Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) and most recently, at the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
He commiserates with the aviation family on the loss of a thoroughbred professional who distinguished himself in his chosen field, the family he has left behind and prays for the repose of his soul.
Capt. Mukhtar became the Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer, AIB in 2011 from where he was appointed the Director General of the civil aviation regulatory body in October, 2014. He served for five years. His appointment for second term of another five year tenure was not renewed and he left office in October 2019.
Captain Mukhtar was born on December 5, 1956, in the famous city of Zaria, in Kaduna State. He started his elementary education at Government Secondary Technical School, Soba and finished in 1972. In 1973, he proceeded to Government Technical College where he passed out in 1975 after obtaining Federal Craft Training Certificate.
This is where the allure of aviation kept beckoning. The young Usman got admission to Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, (NCAT), Zaria, in 1975 to pursue a course in Aero Electronics and Telecommunication where he obtained a Diploma certificate.
The determination to get to the pinnacle of his chosen career drove him to acquire many other professional education which are as follows – City and Guilds, Radio,TV,Electronics (1977),Commercial Pilot,Multi – Engine and Instrument ratings, Burnside – Ott Aviation Training Centre, Miami USA,(1977), B – 727 Flight Engineers’ rating,Miami,USA, (1980),Flying Instructors’ rating, Oxford Air Training School,UK,1982 and Airline Transport Pilot License, New York,USA,1992.
Others are Aircraft Accident Investigation,USA,(2006),Safety Oversight Inspectors’ course, Singapore,(2007),International Society of Air Safety Investigators’ Seminar, Singapore,(2007),Helicopter Accident Investigation,USC,USA,(2007),ICAO Organised Accident Investigation Seminar,Nairobi,Kenya,(2008)Communication,Navigation,Surveillance/Air Traffic Management Course (CNS/ATM),PAN AM Academy,Miami,USA,(2008) and Aircraft Accident Investigation Course,Cranfield University (2009).
In addition, the Director General attended Airport Operations Course, Singapore (2009), ICAO Course on ECCAIRES database and exchange (2010) and Safety Management System Course, SCSI, USA, (2010).
Against this background, it shows that Capt. Usman is a versatile aviator and a complete professional whose experience has spanned three decades.
During his career, he worked as a Flying Instructor at the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, (NCAT), Zaria from 1981 – 1985.He proceeded to the Nigeria Airways Ltd, Lagos between 1985 – 2004 where among other assignments he flew the B 737 Aircraft. As a Fleet Captain’s Assistant, he assisted in fleet technical and operational administration.
