Foreign
Air India Black Boxes Sent To U.S. For Analysis
The India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has dispatched the black boxes of the crashed Boeing 787 Dreamliner of Air India to the United States National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) for download and analysis.
The Indian Government had said over the weekend that its bureau could not extract the data, as they had suffered fire damage and could not be analysed in the country.
Also involved in the black boxes down load and analysis are the United Kingdom’s Air Accidents Investigation Branch and Boeing.
This is not the first time that the black boxes – Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) would be taken out to another country for download and analysis.
In 2022, the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), had assisted Cameroon to probe the crash of the Havilland DHC -6-400 Twin Otter operated by Caverton Cameroon due to lack of capacity by the investigating bureau of the Central African country.
The Cameroonian delegation led by Mrs. Leopoldine Essimi of the Ministry of Transport visited Nigeria to seek AIB-N expertise in the reading of the flight recorders, transcription of the CVR and the FDR.
The DHR-6-400 Twin Otter (registered TJ-TIM) was operating Yaoundé (Nsimalen) – Dompta – Yaoundé (Nsimalen) on May 11, 2022 when it crashed killing all the passengers and crew members. The aircraft was found crashed in a forest, not far from Nanga Eboko.
Nigeria had assisted Cameroon in the investigation with its state-of-the-art Flight Safety Laboratory.
The laboratory has an upgraded facility called Memory Access Retriever System (MARS), which was deployed to retrieve information from the CVR, which was badly burnt and damaged.
Nigeria’s flight safety laboratory is of the same capacity as that of the NTSB.
The facility has the capacity to get information from burnt or damaged flight recorders.
The Air India plane crash had killed 229 passengers and 12 crewmembers with only one British survivor on Seat 11A.
The Gatwick-bound flight, which was carrying 53 Britons, came down just after take-off from Ahmedabad airport in Western India on Thursday June 12.
The government had said last week in a statement that the AAIB would decide where the recorders would be examined after making a “due assessment” of all technical, safety and security considerations.
Mr. Aurobindo Handa, former Director-General of India’s AAIB, said analysing the boxes’ raw data would take some time.
“There are hundreds of components and instruments giving feedback to the DFDRs,” he explained. “All the control services, all the engine parameters – everything goes into this.”
Investigators are also looking at the plane’s remnants from the crash site, which they compare with the flight data when coming to conclusions.
Handa said the investigators would likely be particularly reliant on the black box data in this instance because so much of the plane would be unrecoverable due to the fires.
Independent.ng
Foreign
Relief as Marketers Release Cheaper Petrol Prices Nationwide
The cost of importing petrol into Nigeria dropped sharply following the recent decline in global crude oil prices, creating fresh competition for local refiners, including the $20 billion Dangote Refinery.
New data released by the Major Energy Marketers Association of Nigeria (MEMAN) showed that the landing cost of imported Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also known as petrol, had fallen to N1,117 per litre as of June 4, 2026.
The figure was significantly lower than Dangote Refinery’s gantry price of N1,250 per litre, leaving a difference of N133 per litre.
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s fuel market is facing renewed uncertainty after the Dangote Refinery reportedly reduced petrol production, prompting fuel marketers to increase imports of cheaper products amid concerns over supply stability.
The development comes at a sensitive period for global energy markets, with rising crude oil prices and geopolitical tensions already putting pressure on fuel costs worldwide.
According to industry monitor IIR Energy, the Dangote Refinery has reduced operating rates at its key gasoline-producing unit, the Residual Fluid Catalytic Cracking Unit (RFCCU), by about 34%.
The reduction is linked to technical issues affecting the unit, which plays a major role in converting heavy crude residues into valuable products such as petrol, diesel and cooking gas.
Foreign
JUST IN: Mali’s Defence Minister Killed As Army, Rebels Clash
Mali’s Defence Minister, Sadio Camara, has been killed following a wave of coordinated attacks targeting military installations across the country.
Camara reportedly died from injuries sustained during an attack on his residence in Kati, a key military garrison town located about 15 kilometres from Bamako.
The assault, which occurred barely 24 hours before his death, involved a suicide car bomb and formed part of a broader offensive across the country.
The attacks were reportedly carried out by fighters linked to Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin, an al-Qaeda-affiliated group, alongside Tuareg rebels from the Liberation Front of Azawad.
According to Al Jazeera, the attackers were able to breach Kati, considered one of the most secure military locations in Mali.
Camara, a key figure in Mali’s military leadership, rose to prominence after playing a central role in the coups of 2020 and 2021 that brought the current junta to power.
Al Jazeera’s Nicolas Haque described his death as significant.
“He was one of the most influential figures within the ruling military leadership… His death is a major blow to the country’s armed forces,” he said.
The coordinated offensive extended beyond Kati, with gunmen attacking several locations including Bamako, Gao, Kidal and Sevare.
“As we speak, people in the garrison town of Kidal can still hear heavy gunfire and loud explosions,” Haque said, adding that the operation remained ongoing more than 24 hours after it began.
The attacks have intensified pressure on Mali’s interim leadership, with analysts suggesting that security forces were overwhelmed by the scale and coordination of the violence.
However, Interim President, Assimi Goita, was reportedly moved to safety and remains in control of the military.
International bodies, including the African Union, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, and the United States Bureau of African Affairs, have condemned the attacks and called for urgent measures to restore stability.
Foreign
Tinubu Backs Gulf States Amid Iran/Israel War
President Bola Tinubu has declared Nigeria’s support for countries in the Gulf region following rising tension linked to the ongoing conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran.
Naija News reports that he made this known in Abuja during a formal ceremony where he received letters of credence from several foreign diplomats. The event had representatives from countries such as Qatar and Saudi Arabia, alongside envoys from Lebanon, Sudan, Namibia, Rwanda, Somalia, Argentina, and Congo.
During the meeting, the president assured the visiting diplomats that Nigeria stands with nations in the Gulf, including the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, and Jordan. He praised their calm approach in handling the situation and stressed the need for peace across the region.
Tinubu described the diplomatic gathering as an important step in strengthening Nigeria’s relationship with other countries. He encouraged the envoys to build stronger partnerships with Nigeria that would benefit both sides.
He also spoke about his government’s economic direction, saying efforts are being made to position Nigeria as an attractive destination for investors. He pointed out opportunities in areas like infrastructure, economic growth, and diaspora involvement, inviting the diplomats to explore these sectors.
On regional matters, the president restated Nigeria’s role in the Economic Community of West African States, especially in maintaining democratic order, improving trade among member states, and addressing instability in the Sahel region.
Tinubu further noted that global issues such as climate change, energy challenges, terrorism, and unfair financial systems require countries to work together.
He said Nigeria is ready to cooperate with other nations both directly and through international platforms to promote a safer and fairer global system.
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