Taraba State Gov Survives Plane Crash

Governor of Taraba State, Dambaba Dan-Fulani Suntai, is in the hospital after surviving a plane crash, report available to The Tide indicate at press time yesterday.

Suntai was piloting the plane that took off from Jalingo, the Taraba State capital, with some of his security details, heading to Yola in Adamawa State when he crashed into some hills in Adamawa State near the airport.

According to Government House sources in Jalingo, Governor Suntai is still alive, but unconscious at an undisclosed hospital in Yola.

Secretary to the Taraba State Government, Ambassador Emmanuel Njiwah, confirmed that Suntai was one of the survivors of an air-crash in Yola airport, but however said that the governor was in critical condition in a specialist hospital in the Adamawa State capital.

A statement issued last night by Mr Joe Obi, Special Assistant On Media to the Aviation Minister, and made available to The Tide, indicated that all the victims were alive, but with various degrees of injuries.

The Tide also learnt that Governor Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State is with his injured colleague at the hospital, with Governor Suntai’s security details.

The Tide learnt that the incident involved a Cessna 208 Aircraft marked 5N-BMJ with six persons on board.

The aircraft which was piloted by the Taraba State governor reportedly left Jalingo at about 5.20pm but lost contact with Yola Control Tower 38 miles to landing.

The Tide further learnt that the pilot’s attempt to raise the aircraft failed. A search and rescue operation was immediately activated and the site of the incident located with all victims alive but with various degrees of injuries.

Earlier reports about the crash had erroneously indicated that the Taraba State Governor died in the crash, but the statement from the Minister of Aviation and other sources in Adamawa State quickly cleared the air on the situation.

L-R: Representative of the President, Minister of Youth Development, Inuwa Abdulkadir, Rivers State Governor, Rt Hon Chibuike Amaechi and Rep. Dakuku Peterside at the 3rd National Conference on Kindergarten Education in Port Harcourt, on Wednesday