Nigerian government declares 3 day mourning for aircrash victims

Jonathan................................................................ The Nigerian government led by Dr. Goodluck Jonathan as declared a 3 day mourning by Nigerians for the death of all those who lost their lives in the air-crash that occurred yesterday in Lagos. He has also cancelled all public engagements following the tragedy, which came nearly six years after the last major crash of a passenger plane was recorded in the Nigerian air space. The Federal Government said it would ensure that the accident would be thoroughly investigated to determine the exact cause of the accident. The Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah, who spoke at a press briefing late last night at the headquarters of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) said the action would help prevent a similar occurrence in the future. The minister, who wept, said at about 3.43pm Sunday, DANA Air flight 0992 from Abuja to Lagos declared an emergency and May Day minutes later with the Lagos control tower at 11 nautical miles to Murtala Muhammed Airport. A minute later, it crashed into residential buildings at Iju area of Agege, she said. Jonathan had dispatched Oduah to the crash site to do on-the-spot assessment of the situation and submit an interim report immediately pending the full investigation. A statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati said Jonathan was saddened by the further loss of life from the crash following bomb attacks which took place in churches in Bauchi, Bauchi State, and regretted the death had plunged the nation into further sorrow. "The President joins all Nigerians in mourning all those who lost their lives in the plane crash which has sadly plunged the nation into further sorrow on a day when Nigerians were already in grief over the loss of many other innocent lives in the church bombing in Bauchi State. "President Jonathan assures air travellers in the country that every possible effort will be made to ensure that the right lessons are learnt from the tragic loss of valuable lives in today’s plane crash and that further measures will be put in place to boost aviation safety in the country. "He prays that God Almighty will grant the families of the victims of the plane crash the courage and fortitude to bear their irreparable loss," parts of the statement said. There were unconfirmed reports making waves on the internet last night that the crashed aircraft was a former Alaskan Airlines plane built in 1990 that had been under repair for several weeks. Two Major Generals, six children, six infants, a pregnant woman, several couples, a father and his daughter, many members of staff of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and several top personalities were on board the ill-fated Dana Airlines flight 0992 from Abuja to Lagos Sunday. The flight, which took off from Abuja at 2.13pm, was expected to land in Lagos at 3.21pm. But it crashed into a residential area in Iju Ishaga, Agege, Lagos State. There were no survivors while the number of residents killed in the affected houses is yet to be ascertained. It was reported that the airline's station manager protested its use but the management insisted it should fly. But a top official of the airline denied the reports Sunday as “a tissue of lies” without making any further comment. From the manifest of the light released yesterday, there were several highlights: • The spokesman of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr. Levi Ajuonuma, was on board the aircraft. • Ehime Aikhomu, son of the former military Vice-President Augustus Aikhomu, was also on the flight. • A resident of Magodo, Lagos State, Mrs Anjola Fatokun, was on the aircraft with her son, Olaoluwa, and newborn baby, Ibukun. • Mrs Amaka Ojugbana and her little baby, Christopher, were also on board. • Many members of staff of NNPC and CBN were also said to be on the flight. • Two Major Generals, Tahir Umar and ID Muhammad, were also on board. • Many of those the victims came for three different weddings which held in Abuja at the weekend. • A former Deputy Inspector General of Police, Mr. John Ahmadu, was also involved in the crash. *Five passengers gave their office address as National Universities Commission: Mrs Chinwe Obi, Mr. Celestine Onwuliri, Mr Mahmud Aukawa, Mrs Memuma Shaibu, and Mr Sonny Ehioghae Culled from THISDAY