The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), has approved the reappointment of Akin Olateru as the Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer of the Accident Investigation Bureau, Nigeria. Buhari also appointed Bako Matazu as the new Director-General of the Nigeria Meteorological Agency; and Alkali Modibbo as the new Rector of the Nigeria College of Aviation Technology, Zaria. In a statement on Monday, the Federal Ministry of Aviation said the appointments were with immediate effect.

Olateru was first appointed AIB CEO in January 2017. An Aircraft Maintenance Engineer with Nigerian, UK and USA licenses, he began his career in engineering maintenance with Pan African Airlines and the Nigerian Police Air Wing after which he left Nigeria for further studies abroad.

He has also worked with multiple airlines in Europe including KLM, Martin Air in Holland, British Aerospace Engineering and British Midland Airways.

Matazu holds a PhD in Geography (Applied Meteorology), with membership of the Nigerian Environmental Society, African Forestry Forum, Nigerian Meteorological Society, the Climate Change Network, Nigeria and the renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency, Nigeria. Matazu, who was, until his appointment, the General Manager, Meteorological Research in the Agency, replaces Abubakar Mashi.

Modibbo, the new NCAT rector holds the Airline Transport Pilot Licenses of the Federal Aviation Administration, USA; the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Embraer, Citation; and other international professional certifications. “All the appointments are with immediate effect. It should be noted that the reorganisation is a continuous exercise that will involve other management staff of all agencies of the Ministry,” the statement concluded.