Written by Shola Adekola, Leon Usigbe and Yejide Gbenga-OgundareMonday, 04 June 2012
NIGERIA was on Sunday thrown into a national tragedy when a commercial plane belonging to a domestic carrier, DANA Air crashed into the densely populated residential area of Iju/Ishaga killing all
the 153 passengers on board.
The ill-fated plane was said to have crashed into an electric pole before crashing into buildings.
The development came even as most of the victims of the plane crash, according to information gathered, were said to be going to Lagos to resume at their various places of work for the week.
According to the manifest released by the airline management, among the victims were three army generals, the Group Public Relations Officer for the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr Levi Ajuonuma.
Others include Abdulrasat Lawal, Abitayo Olatoci, Adekoya Ayoola, Amina Doris, Elizabeth Adaeze, Ajala Adenike and Adekunbi Adebiyi.
According to information gathered, the plane, which took off from the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja, was heading to the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos when it crashed.
Apart from the 153 passengers on board who perished, scores of people on ground also lost their lives as the ill-fated plane crashed into their area.
Sunday’s crash came after the nation’s aviation industry celebrated five years of no accident.
The Dana crash is reminiscent of the EAS plane which similarly crash-landed into a residential area of the Kano city called Gwammaja.
At the time of filing this report, the number of casualties on ground were yet to be ascertained while security men, including the police, cordoned off the place and there was not yet any clue to the cause of the crash.
The nation’s aviation authority had been enjoying accident free flight operations after the two major crashes that involved Sosoliso and ADC airlines between 2005 and 2006.
Meanwhile, President Goodluck Jonathan has declared a three-day period of national mourning for all those who lost their lives in the Dana Air plane crash in Lagos on Sunday.
Already, he has cancelled all his public engagements scheduled for today and directed that the Nigerian flag be flown at half-mast for the three days of national mourning.
A statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr Reuben Abati, in Abuja on Sunday, stated that the president has ordered the fullest possible investigation into the crash.
It said that in compliance with the president’s directive, the Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah has already left Abuja for Lagos to oversee the crash investigations and present an interim report to the Federal Government as quickly as possible.
"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," the statement said.
President Jonathan assured air travellers in the country that every possible effort would be made to ensure that the right lessons are learnt from the tragic loss of valuable lives in Sunday’s plane crash and that further measures would be put in place to boost aviation safety in the country.
He prayed that God Almighty would grant the families of the victims of the plane crash the courage and fortitude to bear their irreparable losses.
FG will investigate cause of crash - Minister
The Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah has said that the Federal Government will institute a very thorough investigation into the cause of Sunday’s Dana aircraft MD 83 with registration number 5NRAM, which crashed in Iju-Ishaga area of Lagos.
Speaking at the headquarters of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Oduah said that at about 3:43p.m. (local time) the pilot of flight 0992 from Abuja to Lagos declared emergency at about 11 nautical miles to the airport.
She explained that within a minute, the aircraft disappeared from the radar until it crashed in the area.
She said, “Federal Government will institute a very thorough investigation to ensure there is no reoccurrence. They were just 11 nautical miles away before they declared May Day. And within a minute, it disappeared from the radar. It consists of 153 passengers and six crew members.
“Police, NEMA and local residence were at the site. Unfortunately, no survival. It is our prayer therefore that the souls of those who died will rest in peace. We pray that God will give the families of the bereaved the fortitude to bear the lost.”
However, an unconfirmed reported said that the black box of the aircraft had been found by the police.
However, the families of the bereaved were sighted at the Murtala Muhammed Airport Two wailing for their loved once who were in the aircraft.
The Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Dr Harold Demuren, confirmed that all the passengers’ were dead and that the plane belongs to Dana airlines.
He added that the plane was coming from Abuja to Lagos before the crash occurred.
According to him, “I came to find out what has happened but the situation is pathetic.”
The development came even as most of the victims of the plane crash, according to information gathered, were said to be going to Lagos to resume at their various places of work for the week.
According to the manifest released by the airline management, among the victims were three army generals, the Group Public Relations Officer for the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr Levi Ajuonuma.
Others include Abdulrasat Lawal, Abitayo Olatoci, Adekoya Ayoola, Amina Doris, Elizabeth Adaeze, Ajala Adenike and Adekunbi Adebiyi.
According to information gathered, the plane, which took off from the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja, was heading to the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos when it crashed.
Apart from the 153 passengers on board who perished, scores of people on ground also lost their lives as the ill-fated plane crashed into their area.
Sunday’s crash came after the nation’s aviation industry celebrated five years of no accident.
The Dana crash is reminiscent of the EAS plane which similarly crash-landed into a residential area of the Kano city called Gwammaja.
At the time of filing this report, the number of casualties on ground were yet to be ascertained while security men, including the police, cordoned off the place and there was not yet any clue to the cause of the crash.
The nation’s aviation authority had been enjoying accident free flight operations after the two major crashes that involved Sosoliso and ADC airlines between 2005 and 2006.
Meanwhile, President Goodluck Jonathan has declared a three-day period of national mourning for all those who lost their lives in the Dana Air plane crash in Lagos on Sunday.
Already, he has cancelled all his public engagements scheduled for today and directed that the Nigerian flag be flown at half-mast for the three days of national mourning.
A statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr Reuben Abati, in Abuja on Sunday, stated that the president has ordered the fullest possible investigation into the crash.
It said that in compliance with the president’s directive, the Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah has already left Abuja for Lagos to oversee the crash investigations and present an interim report to the Federal Government as quickly as possible.
"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," the statement said.
President Jonathan assured air travellers in the country that every possible effort would be made to ensure that the right lessons are learnt from the tragic loss of valuable lives in Sunday’s plane crash and that further measures would be put in place to boost aviation safety in the country.
He prayed that God Almighty would grant the families of the victims of the plane crash the courage and fortitude to bear their irreparable losses.
FG will investigate cause of crash - Minister
The Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah has said that the Federal Government will institute a very thorough investigation into the cause of Sunday’s Dana aircraft MD 83 with registration number 5NRAM, which crashed in Iju-Ishaga area of Lagos.
Speaking at the headquarters of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Oduah said that at about 3:43p.m. (local time) the pilot of flight 0992 from Abuja to Lagos declared emergency at about 11 nautical miles to the airport.
She explained that within a minute, the aircraft disappeared from the radar until it crashed in the area.
She said, “Federal Government will institute a very thorough investigation to ensure there is no reoccurrence. They were just 11 nautical miles away before they declared May Day. And within a minute, it disappeared from the radar. It consists of 153 passengers and six crew members.
“Police, NEMA and local residence were at the site. Unfortunately, no survival. It is our prayer therefore that the souls of those who died will rest in peace. We pray that God will give the families of the bereaved the fortitude to bear the lost.”
However, an unconfirmed reported said that the black box of the aircraft had been found by the police.
However, the families of the bereaved were sighted at the Murtala Muhammed Airport Two wailing for their loved once who were in the aircraft.
The Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Dr Harold Demuren, confirmed that all the passengers’ were dead and that the plane belongs to Dana airlines.
He added that the plane was coming from Abuja to Lagos before the crash occurred.
According to him, “I came to find out what has happened but the situation is pathetic.”
LIST OF PASSENGERS ON BOARD
Otaru Saka
Mrs Anjola Fatokun
Mstr Olaoluwa Fatokun
Inf Ibukun Fatokun
Mstr Ugabio Oyosoro
Ms Rajulie Oyosoro
Mrs Adenike Ajani
Ms Aimanehi Onemolease
Inf Eyinojuoluwa Davidkolawole
Mrs Fortune Davidkolawole
Mr Obiola Ikpoki
Mr Abraham Adijolola
Ms Iniobong Asuquo
Udoh Patience Sunday
Ms Chinero Okafor
Mrs Antonia Attuh
Oluwadamilare Adeleke
Ms Jennifer Onita
Ms Josephine Onita
Jones Ifekawa
Mr Kim Norris
Mr Roger Aouade
Mr Olusanmi Awodogan
Ms Adedunni Doherty
Mrs Temitope Ariyibi
Mrs Chinwe Dike
Mr Chukwuezugo Dike
Shutao Zhai
Idris Bugaje Amina
Maikudi Bukhari
Huizhu Li
Yu Wang
Yi Kang
Mr Emmanuel Obot
Mrs Farida Kaikai
Mr Ibrahim Nagidi
Ms Oluwakemi Somolu
Onyeyiri Oluchi
Myindadi Berkisu
Anyene Onyeka
Njoku Ogechi
Anyene Maimuna
Anyene Kamsiyonna
Anyene Kayimarachi
Anyene Noah
Anyene Kayinetochi
Ibrahim Yusuf
Mr Bassey Eyo
Mr Charles Ntuko
Mrs Tosin Anibaba
Mr Femi Shobowale
Mr Christopher Okocha
Mrs Falmata Mohammed
Adebiyi Adekunbi
Nosike Peter
Mr Sonny Ehioghae
Mrs Chinwe Obi
Mrs Memuna Shaibu
Mr Mahmud Dukawa
Mr Ehime Aikhomu
Mr Abiodun Oluwasegunfunmi
Abiodun Jonathan
Mrs Arokoyu Olusola
Mr Ayoola Adekola
Ms Obianuju Erokwu
Mr Ochigbo
Lt Col Chumbo
Ali Yusuf
Jangana Ibrahim
Nwaokoagbara Anthony
Eventus Mbong
Ms Banji Olukoya
Mr Adamu Bamaiyi
Tatoru Abikalio
Mr Wale Eribake
Aliyu Mahmud
Lamidi Taiwo
Chukwu-buka Philip
Oluwayomi Benson
Okara Anthony
Mrs Hadiza Otegbeye
Okere Chukwuemeka
Mr Olugbenga Komolafe
Mrs Amaka Ojugbana
Inf Christopher Ojugbana
Mr Olumide Coker
Mr Walter Hunna
Mr Istifanus Mutihir
Mr Istifanus Mutihir
Garba Nabila
Garba Nabila
Mr John Nnadi
Abdu Garba
Aisha Abdu
Mr Godwin Apochi
Las Lilian
Miss Chimdinma Onyeagocha
Ogechi Onyegocha
Mr Celestine Onwuliri
Garba Nabil
Mr Raphael Amiaka
Mr Sam Shaibu
Abubakar Kaltum
Mrs Priscilla Eleje
Mrs Ruth Wasa
Ms Awyetu Wasa
Jonathan Ekeledo
Ahmadu John
Mstr Moyosore Akisanya
Ms Eseoghene Okor
Mrs Omonigho Akisanya
Onyijuke Ijeoma
Saad Usman Shehu
Abugu Ike
Eke Mecha
Eseoghene Okor
Allison Joy
Ochonogor Ike
Moyo Akinsanya
Omonigho Akinsanya
Mr Tunji Oloko
Mr Lawal Anakobe
U. Anakobe Lawal
Alvana Ojukwu
Okwulehie Maria
Ibe Echeidu
Ibe Jennifer
Umar Maj Gen Tahir
Mr Olumodeji Akinola
Mr Tibiebiowei Zuofa
Mrs Priscilla Yinusa
Lawal Hurriya
Mrs Elizabeth Akwaeze
Mr Patrick Okonji
Mr Olukayode Okikiolu
Mr Aderoju Osunbade
Otaru Saka
Mrs Anjola Fatokun
Mstr Olaoluwa Fatokun
Inf Ibukun Fatokun
Mstr Ugabio Oyosoro
Ms Rajulie Oyosoro
Mrs Adenike Ajani
Ms Aimanehi Onemolease
Inf Eyinojuoluwa Davidkolawole
Mrs Fortune Davidkolawole
Mr Obiola Ikpoki
Mr Abraham Adijolola
Ms Iniobong Asuquo
Udoh Patience Sunday
Ms Chinero Okafor
Mrs Antonia Attuh
Oluwadamilare Adeleke
Ms Jennifer Onita
Ms Josephine Onita
Jones Ifekawa
Mr Kim Norris
Mr Roger Aouade
Mr Olusanmi Awodogan
Ms Adedunni Doherty
Mrs Temitope Ariyibi
Mrs Chinwe Dike
Mr Chukwuezugo Dike
Shutao Zhai
Idris Bugaje Amina
Maikudi Bukhari
Huizhu Li
Yu Wang
Yi Kang
Mr Emmanuel Obot
Mrs Farida Kaikai
Mr Ibrahim Nagidi
Ms Oluwakemi Somolu
Onyeyiri Oluchi
Myindadi Berkisu
Anyene Onyeka
Njoku Ogechi
Anyene Maimuna
Anyene Kamsiyonna
Anyene Kayimarachi
Anyene Noah
Anyene Kayinetochi
Ibrahim Yusuf
Mr Bassey Eyo
Mr Charles Ntuko
Mrs Tosin Anibaba
Mr Femi Shobowale
Mr Christopher Okocha
Mrs Falmata Mohammed
Adebiyi Adekunbi
Nosike Peter
Mr Sonny Ehioghae
Mrs Chinwe Obi
Mrs Memuna Shaibu
Mr Mahmud Dukawa
Mr Ehime Aikhomu
Mr Abiodun Oluwasegunfunmi
Abiodun Jonathan
Mrs Arokoyu Olusola
Mr Ayoola Adekola
Ms Obianuju Erokwu
Mr Ochigbo
Lt Col Chumbo
Ali Yusuf
Jangana Ibrahim
Nwaokoagbara Anthony
Eventus Mbong
Ms Banji Olukoya
Mr Adamu Bamaiyi
Tatoru Abikalio
Mr Wale Eribake
Aliyu Mahmud
Lamidi Taiwo
Chukwu-buka Philip
Oluwayomi Benson
Okara Anthony
Mrs Hadiza Otegbeye
Okere Chukwuemeka
Mr Olugbenga Komolafe
Mrs Amaka Ojugbana
Inf Christopher Ojugbana
Mr Olumide Coker
Mr Walter Hunna
Mr Istifanus Mutihir
Mr Istifanus Mutihir
Garba Nabila
Garba Nabila
Mr John Nnadi
Abdu Garba
Aisha Abdu
Mr Godwin Apochi
Las Lilian
Miss Chimdinma Onyeagocha
Ogechi Onyegocha
Mr Celestine Onwuliri
Garba Nabil
Mr Raphael Amiaka
Mr Sam Shaibu
Abubakar Kaltum
Mrs Priscilla Eleje
Mrs Ruth Wasa
Ms Awyetu Wasa
Jonathan Ekeledo
Ahmadu John
Mstr Moyosore Akisanya
Ms Eseoghene Okor
Mrs Omonigho Akisanya
Onyijuke Ijeoma
Saad Usman Shehu
Abugu Ike
Eke Mecha
Eseoghene Okor
Allison Joy
Ochonogor Ike
Moyo Akinsanya
Omonigho Akinsanya
Mr Tunji Oloko
Mr Lawal Anakobe
U. Anakobe Lawal
Alvana Ojukwu
Okwulehie Maria
Ibe Echeidu
Ibe Jennifer
Umar Maj Gen Tahir
Mr Olumodeji Akinola
Mr Tibiebiowei Zuofa
Mrs Priscilla Yinusa
Lawal Hurriya
Mrs Elizabeth Akwaeze
Mr Patrick Okonji
Mr Olukayode Okikiolu
Mr Aderoju Osunbade
culled Nigerian Tribune
