Nigeria probes missing air cash

Nigeria's air safety record is very poor

Nigerian senators have launched a probe into how millions of dollars from the aviation ministry have vanished.

A fund of $160m was released by the government in 2006 after 316 people died in three plane crashes within 12 months of each other.

The money was meant to buy sophisticated radar equipment to "totally overhaul" Nigeria's airspace.

But the firms contracted to provide the equipment have not done so, saying they have only received some of the money.

Shock

Aviation ministry officials and former ministers are expected to give testimony before the Senate.

NIGERIA PLANE CRASHES October 2006: ADC Airlines 737 crashes just after takeoff in Abuja, killing 96 people December 2005: Sosoliso Airlines DC-9 crashes on landing in Port Harcourt, killing 106 October 2005: Bellview Airlines 737 crashes in Ogun state, killing 117 May 2002: Plane operated by EAS Airlines crashes in Kano, killing 148 people November 1996: 142 people die when Boeing 727 owned by Nigeria's ADC airline plunges into lagoon 85km (55 miles) from Lagos September 1992: 158 people are killed when military transport plane goes down near Lagos Cash boost for Nigeria air sector

One of the people expected to give evidence is former Aviation Minister Femi Fani Kayode.

He was a key spokesman for former President Olusegun Obasanjo before becoming aviation minister after a crash at the airport in the capital, Abuja, killed 97 in 2006.

Nigeria has one of the world's worst air safety records, having been the scene of several crashes and near-misses in recent years.

In the last months of 2005 two air crashes shocked the nation.

One hundred and seventeen people died when a Bellview Airlines 737 crashed just after takeoff from Lagos in October.

In December, 106 people, including 75 children from one school, died when their plane broke up as it landed at Port Harcourt airport.

Many of the children's families were watching the plane land when it broke into pieces in front of them.