News
NAF Confirms Seven Deaths In Abuja Beechcraft Jet Crash
A Nigerian Air Force NAF201 jet, a Beechcraft King Air B350 aircraft, which departed Abuja at 1033hours, yesterday, with seven persons onboard, including two crew, has crashed at the Abuja Airport.
All seven persons onboard have been confirmed dead.
The aircraft was said to have reported engine failure at 1039hours, and crashed landed on the final approach path of Abuja Runway 22 at 1048hours, yesterday.
The Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, confirmed the crash of the military aircraft King Air 350 on the runway in Abuja.
He made the confirmation in a tweet, yesterday, saying that the accident appears fatal.
He tweeted, “A military aircraft King Air 350 has just crashed short of our Abuja runway after reporting engine failure en-route Minna. It appears to be fatal. We should remain calm and wait for the outcome of investigation by the military, while we pray for the departed soul/souls, if any.”
Also, the Director, Press and Public Affairs, Federal Ministry of Aviation, James Odaudu, confirmed the incident.
Fire services had arrived at the scene of the accident shortly after, and struggled to put out the fire from the crash site.
However, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has confirmed that its Beechcraft King Air B350 aircraft crashed while returning to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, after reporting engine failure en-route Minna.
The Director of Public Relations and Information, NAF Headquarters, AVM, Ibikunle Daramola, announced this in a statement, yesterday, in Abuja.
According to the statement, first responders were at the scene but sadly, all the seven personnel onboard died in the crash.
Daramola said the Chief of Air Staff, AVM Oladayo Amao, had directed an immediate investigation into the incident.
He urged the public to remain calm and await the outcome of investigation.
The statement added that the air chief on behalf of all NAF personnel, commiserated with the families of the deceased.
Daramola said the flight was scheduled to conduct surveillance missions over Niger State and its environs in connection with the concerted efforts to secure the release of the students/staff abducted from the Government Science College Kagara, Niger State.
As earlier stated, the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Vice Marshal Oladayo Amao, has instituted an investigative panel to determine the remote and immediate causes of the accident.
An update statement by Air Vice Marshal Ibikunle Daramola, Director of NAF Public Relations said, “While the panel has commenced its work, the NAF, having notified the Next of Kins/family members of the deceased, regretfully announces that the following 7 personnel lost their lives in the crash: Flight Lieutenant Haruna Gadzama (Captain); Flight Lieutenant Henry Piyo (Co-Pilot); Flying Officer Micheal Okpara (Airborne Tactical Observation System (ATOS) Specialist); Warrant Officer Bassey Etim (ATOS Specialist); Flight Sergeant Olasunkanmi Olawunmi (ATOS Specialist); Sergeant Ugochukwu Oluka (ATOS Specialist) and Aircraftman Adewale Johnson (Onboard Technician).
“Earlier, the CAS visited the scene of the accident, in company of the Minister of Defence, Major General Bashir Magashi (retired); Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika; Chief of Defence Staff, Major General Lucky Irabor, and other Service Chiefs.
“The CAS, on behalf of officers, airmen and airwomen of the NAF, once more commiserates with the families of the deceased personnel and prays that the Almighty God grants their souls eternal repose.”On whether the crash would be investigated by the Accident Investigation Bureau, Nigeria (AIB-N), the agency, which also confirmed the crash, said it would not investigate the incident as it was outside the purview of its jurisdiction.
The General Manager, Public Affairs of AIB, Mr Tunji Oketunbi, confirmed this, yesterday, in an interview with journalists in Lagos.
Oketunbi said, “It is a military aircraft and the crash is outside our jurisdiction to comment.
“I will advise you call the NAF PRO for detail”.
In its remarks, the Federal Capital Territory Emergency Management Agency (FERMA) said it has recovered seven bodies from the crash site of the Beechcraft King Air B350 aircraft some minutes after the incident occurred near the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.
The FERMA Director-General, Alhaji Abass Idriss, said the remains of the aircraft passengers had been deposited at the Nigeria Air Force morgue.
The jet en route Minna in Niger State crashed close to the runway of the Abuja airport after reporting engine failure.
Speaking, yesterday, Idriss denied reports that some persons were killed on the ground by the aircraft, noting that only the seven passengers on the plane died.
He said, “We recovered seven bodies from the crash site and the remains have been taken to the NAF morgue. The NAF has the manifest and they know all those on board. The plane did not crash into any building or individuals on the ground, so all the people on board have been accounted for.”
The Nigeria Air Force Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, said the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal I. Amao, has ordered an immediate probe of the accident.
Daramola said, “This is to confirm that a Nigerian Air Force Beechcraft KingAir B350 aircraft crashed while returning to the Abuja Airport after reporting engine failure en route Minna. First responders are at the scene. Sadly, all seven personnel on board died in the crash.
“The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Isiaka Amao, has ordered an immediate investigation into the incident.
“While urging the general public to remain calm and await the outcome of investigation, the CAS, on behalf of all NAF personnel, commiserates with the families of the deceased.”
Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed sadness over the fatal crash of Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Beechcraft King Air B350i aircraft, yesterday, in Abuja that claimed the lives of seven personnel.
In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Chief Femi Adesina, Buhari, on behalf of the Federal Government, extended his heartfelt condolences to family members, friends and colleagues of those who died as a result of this tragedy.
The President said he joined the Nigerian Air Force, the military and other Nigerians in mourning the unfortunate loss of the dedicated and courageous personnel, who died in the line of duty.
He said, “While investigations into the cause of the crash are ongoing, the safety of the Nigerian airspace remains a key priority of the government.”
The President prayed that God will comfort the bereaved families and nation, and grant the souls of the departed peaceful rest.
Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.
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