The plane crash involving Governor
Danbaba Suntai of Taraba State, which was broken by SaharaReporters, apparently
triggered a nationwide alarm and search for the governor and his five aides,
Stella Oduah, the Minister of Aviation, has said.
The claim is contained in a statement
on the crash of the Cessna 208, 5N-BMJ in Yola, Adamawa State. The statement
was signed by Joe Obi, an aide to the Aviation Minister. But contrary to the
statement that the Ministry began a "search and rescue" operation to
locate Governor Suntai's crash site, SaharaReporters learnt that the crash
victims were presumed dead for several hours, well before any search team could
reach them.
Some sources said that the rescue
team did not reach the governor until around 8 p.m. (Nigerian time), although
the plane had crashed at about 5:30 p.m.
Several sources who provided
information for our earlier report saw the crash on a hill at the NNPC depot
near the Yola International Airport in Adamawa State. When contacted by
SaharaReporters in those early hours, however, several aviation and National
Emergency Management Agency officials denied there had been a crash.
Mr. Suntai is an aviation enthusiast
who owns two aircraft and a helicopter. Aviation sources say he also owns an
airstrip which he built with embezzled funds in his village.
The governor obtained a pilot’s
license from the Nigerian College of Aviation in Zaria in 2010 and had
completed numerous solo flights.
SaharaReporters learnt that the governor flew the plane from Jalingo to Yola airport but lost contact with Yola air control around 5:20p.m. With no rescue in sight, all the occupants of the plane were initially presumed dead. Several Northern governors began frantic inquiries about Mr. Suntai’s situation following our report.
SaharaReporters learnt that the governor flew the plane from Jalingo to Yola airport but lost contact with Yola air control around 5:20p.m. With no rescue in sight, all the occupants of the plane were initially presumed dead. Several Northern governors began frantic inquiries about Mr. Suntai’s situation following our report.
Although there is no specific medical
information regarding Mr. Suntai's condition, it was learned that the Governor
of Adamawa State, Murtala Nyako, has visited the injured governor.
An official of the Taraba State
government told SaharaReporters that arrangements would be made to fly the
governor abroad for treatment once it is determined that he is stable enough to
undertake a long plane trip.
Mr. Suntai and his injured passengers
are currently receiving treatment at the Adamawa Standard German Hospital in
Yola. One of the state commissioners described the governor’s condition as
stable. Governor Suntai's daughter, Mariam, said in a Blackberry status
update that her father was okay but injured.
Mr. Suntai reportedly bought the
plane, a Cessna Grand Caravan, from a member of the House of Representatives
from Kebbi, Bala Ibn Na’Allah.
Mr. Na’Allah recently bought a
Swiss-made Pilatus PC12 with tail number N689PE.
SaharaReporters also learnt that
Governor Suntai recently set up “Taraba Airline” following his purchase of an
Embraer ERJ-145 jet.
Mr. Suntai has been a controversial
figure in Taraba politics. He recently organized the impeachment of his deputy,
Sani Abubakar Danladi.
By SaharaReporters, New York
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