| 12 Generals, others
die in plane crash
MOLLY KILETE, Abuja, ROSE EJEMBI, Makurdi
Monday, September 18, 2006
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Photo: Sun
News Publishing |
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It was a black day for the Nigerian military and the entire
nation as no fewer than 12 serving army Generals perished
in a plane crash on Sunday.
Meanwhile, a last minute disappointment saved the Chief of
Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant-General Andrew Owoye Azazi,
from dying in the crash.
The Nigeria Air Force aircraft, which was flying to Obudu
Cattle Ranch, in Cross-River State, crashed in Ikyogen village,
Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State. It took off from
the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja.
Daily Sun learnt the 18-seater Donnier 228
plane had on board 18 Army top brass and crew. The army officers,
including 12 generals, three lieutenant colonels and three
crew members, were going to Obudu Cattle Ranch for a retreat.
Five people allegedly survived in the crash.
Confirming the crash, the Benue State Police Commissioner,
Mr. Ibe Aghanya, said that the military plane crashed into
a hill in Kwande Local Government Area of the state, which
is about four hours drive to Makurdi, the state capital.
Earlier, when the news of the crash filtered in Abuja on Sunday,
there was anxiety over the fate of the chief of army staff,
who was supposed to have boarded the plane. Tension was doused,
however, when Gen. Azazi, who spoke to Daily Sun
on telephone, said he was alive and alright, having missed
the flight.
Military sources said the Army boss escaped the crash when
he got to the airport few minutes after the plane had left.
Having missed the flight, he was to join the second batch
when the aircraft would have returned from Obudu. He allegedly
returned to his Niger Barracks home, with some of his principal
officers equally billed to travel with him, to wait for the
second flight.
When contacted, the Director, Air Force Public Relations,
Group-Captain Ozoemena, confirmed the crash of the 18-seater
aircraft, but refused to give the actual number of casualties.
According to him, “we have identified the spot of the
crash in a village somewhere near Ushongo in Benue State.
We have recovered some survivors, but I cannot give you the
actual number of the survivors that we have recovered, but
all I can tell you is that doctors and other medical staff
are already on site to give first aid treatment to the injured,
while arrangement are on ground to rush them to the hospital
for proper medical attention.”
Daily Sun gathered that among the dead Generals
were some divisional heads and principal staff officers attached
to the Army Headquarters in Abuja.
When Daily Sun visited the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport in Abuja,
military personnel as well as friends and relatives of those
that boarded the aircraft had besieged the office of the airport
manager to get a clearer picture of what happened. Sympathisers
were trooping to homes of the victims in the Niger Barracks,
Abuja last night.
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