•Aikhomu’s son, family of five among victims
•Jonathan declares three days of mourning. Visits site
Charred human bodies, scattered metal pieces, burnt personal belongings and documents. That was all that remained of a Dana Air plane that crashed yesterday in Iju-Ishaga on the outskirts of Lagos.
The McDonnel Douglas (MD) 82 aircraft coming from Abuja rammed into buildings, about two minutes to “emergency” landing at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, killing all the 153 persons on board.
The dead include Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) spokesman Levi Ajuonuma, Ehime Aikhomu, first son of the late Admiral Augustus Aikhomu and former Super Permanent Secretary Ibrahim Damcida.
There were also three military officers – a General, a Lt. Col. And a Major.
Besides, the figure of casualties on the ground could not be ascertained as at press time last night.
Flight 0992, which came down around 3:45pm, crashed into a warehouse and a storey building on Tolulope Street, off Popoola Street, Iju Ishaga, Ifako-Ijaye Local Government Area.
The aircraft was reported to have hovered in the air before eventually crashing into a mango tree, killing a cow instantly. It then crashed into a residential building adjoining a warehouse, bursting into flames a few minutes later. At least, three buildings were set on fire.
An eye witness said the loud bang of the fallen aircraft drew residents’ attention. Many ran for dear lives, some scampering to pick their belongings.
A lawyer, Mr. Wole Jones, said: “I was on top of my house when I saw the plane coming very low. The plane crashed at exactly 3:38pm when it rammed into a two-storey building.”
Before eventually falling on the two-storey building, it destroyed the roof of a bakery on Sadiq Close, off Olaore Street, Power Line.
An eye witness, Pastor Patrick Akingbe of Mispem Bible Church, a bungalow located on 7 Popoola Street, said: “I just retired home. There was no one left in the church. I suddenly heard something fell on our roof. I raced out.And saw people, including children, running around. And then I heard a loud explosion and a huge smoke. The whole place was covered in huge smoke. Then there was another explosion. I heard about five explosions.”
Also affected were two other buildings, a three-storey building on 4, Olaniyi Street, a bungalow, which was levelled and an abandoned warehouse earlier occupied by a church, End Time Chapel Ministries.
A woman, whose name was not ascertained, was held by security personnel as she rushed towards her burning home. She was said to have left her new born baby with her parents to go and fix her hair before the crash. Neither her parents nor baby could be located.
Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) Managing Director Dr. Olufemi Osanyintolu said the plane crashed about 3:40pm. Three houses were affected.
“It landed on a two-storey building and reduced it to rubble. The number of casualties not yet ascertained.
“The plane landed on house number 9, Popoola Street, off Akande/Tolulope Streer, Toyin Bus Stop, Iju-Ishaga, Agege. Other affected buildings are 2 and 4 Olaniyi Street.”
He said four bodies had been retrieved from 4, Olaniyi Street, a green two-storey building.
President Goodluck Jonathan declared three days of mourning for the victims. He also cancelled all his engagements for today and directed that flags be flown at half mast during the mourning period.
According to a statement by presidential spokesman Dr. Reuben Abati, Dr. Jonathan directed Minister of Aviation Stella Oduah to leave 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.
“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.”
About 5.00 pm when The Nation arrived at the scene of the crash, hundreds of sympathisers had blocked the roads leading to the crash site, making it difficult for rescue equipment and officials to reach the scene.
At about 6.00 pm, three helicopters hovered in the sky. A Nigeria Navy helicopter landed on one of the buildings to bring in rescue materials.
As hundreds of sympathisers thronged the crash scene, some of them picked up parts of the aircraft, as they struggled with fire fighting officials to put out the raging smoke.
THE DEAD
•Otaru Saka
•Anjola Fatokun
•Olaoluwa Fatokun
•Ibukun Fatokun
•Ugabio Oyosoro
•Rajulie Oyosoro
•Adenike Ajani
•Aimanehi Onemolease
•Eyinojuoluwa
Davidkolawole
•Fortune Davidkolawole
•Obiola Ikpoki
•Abraham Adijolola
•Iniobong Asuquo
•Udoh Patience Sunday
•Chinero Okafor
•Antonia Attuh
•Oluwadamilare Adeleke
•Jennifer Onita
•Josephine Onita
•Jones Ifekawa
•Kim Norris
•Roger Aouade
•Olusanmi Awodogan
•Adedunni Doherty
•Temitope Ariyibi
•Chinwe Dike
•Chukwuezugo Dike
•Shutao Zhai
•Idris bugaje Amina
•Maikudi Bukhari
•Huizhu Li
•Yu Wang
•Yi Kang
•Emmanuel Obot
•Farida Kaikai
•Ibrahim Nagidi
•Oluwakemi Somolu
•Onyeyiri Oluchi
•Myindadi Berkisu
•Anyene Onyeka
•Njoku Ogechi
•Anyene Maimuna
•Anyene Kamsiyonna
•Anyene Kayimarachi
•Anyene Noah
•Anyene Kayinetochi
•Ibrahm Yusuf
•Bassey Eyo
•Charles Ntuko
•Tosin Anibaba
•Femi Shobowale
•Christopher Okocha
•Falmata Mohammed
•Adebiyi Adekunbi
•Nosike Peter
•Sonny Ehioghae
•Chinwe Obi
•Memuna Shaibu
•Mahmud Dukawa
•Ehime Aikhomu
•Abiodun
Oluwasegunfunmi
•Abiodun Jonathan
•Arokoyu Olusola
•Ayoola Adekola
•Obianuju Erokwu
•Ochigbo Lt Col chumbo
•Ali Yusuf
•Jangana Ibrahim
•Nwaokoagbara Anthony
•Eventus Mbong
•Banji Olukoya
•Adamu Bamaiyi
•Tatoru Abikalio
•Wale Eribake
•Aliyu Mahmud
•Lamidi Taiwo
•Chukwu-Buka Philip
•Oluwayomi Benson
•Okara Anthony
•Hadiza Otegbeye
•Okere Chukwuemeka
•Olugbenga Komolafe
•Amaka Ojugbana
•Christopher Ojugbana
•Olumide Coker
•Walter Hunna
•Istifanus Mutihir
•Istifanus Mutihir
•Garba Nabila
•Garba Nabila
•John Nnadi
•Abdu Garba
•Aisha Abdu
•Godwin Apochi
•Las Lilian
•Chimdinma Onyeagocha
•Ogechi Onyegocha
•Celestine Onwuliri
•Garba Nabil
•Raphael Nmiaka
•Sam Shaibu
•Abubakar Kaltum
•Priscilla Eleje
•Ruth Wasa
•Awyetu Wasa
•Jonathan Ekeledo
•Ahmadu John
•Moyosore Akisanya
•Eseoghene Okor
•Omonigho Akisanya
•Onyijuke Ijeoma
•Saad usman Shehu
•Abugu Ike
•Eke Mecha
•Eseoghene Okor
•Allison Joy
•Ochonogor Ike
•Moyo Akinsanya
•Omonigho Akinsanya
•Tunji Oloko
•Lawal Anakobe
•U. Anakobe Lawal
•Alvana Ojukwu
•Okwulehie Maria
•Ibe Echeidu
•Ibe Jennifer
•Umar Maj gen tahir
•Olumodeji Akinola
•Tibiebiowei Zuofa
•Priscilla Yinusa
•Lawal hurriya
•Elizabeth Akwaeze
•Patrick Okonji
•Olukayode Okikiolu
•Aderoju Osunbade
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