Governor suntai : Investigators Take Over Crash Site

Investigators from the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB), a parastatal under the Ministry of Aviation, have taken over the site where a plane piloted by the Taraba State Governor, Pharm Suntai Danbaba, crashed last Thursday.   The aircraft, a Cessna 208 aircraft with registration number 5N-BMJ, had six persons on board, including the governor and the […]

Investigators from the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB), a parastatal under the Ministry of Aviation, have taken over the site where a plane piloted by the Taraba State Governor, Pharm Suntai Danbaba, crashed last Thursday.

 

The aircraft, a Cessna 208 aircraft with registration number 5N-BMJ, had six persons on board, including the governor and the crew, departed Jalingo, Taraba State for Yola, Adamawa State at about 5.00pm last Thursday and crashed near Yola airport.

Mr Tunji Oketunbi, the spokesman for AIB, told our correspondent in a telephone interview that AIB officials were still at the wreckage site, collecting evidence for analysis.  He said a preliminary report wasn’t available, and that it would take some time before one will be ready.

He explained the procedure thus: “Our men are still at the crash site, collecting evidence. After that, they will bring the data for analysis.  The air traffic controllers will also be interviewed with other relevant persons. It’s a complex process, so it will take some time. It’s not something you resolve quickly.”

Mr Yakubu Datti, the General Manager (Corporate Communications) of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), told our correspondent that the cause of the accident had not been established.

He said the black box would be analysed and the accident properly investigated.

He maintained that the aircraft had constant communication with the control tower at Yola until few minutes before the crash.

Mr Joe Obi, the Special Assistant to the Minister of Aviation on Media, said the aircraft reported first contact with the Yola Control Tower at 5.20pm.

He explained that the aircraft reported ‘field in sight’ at 38 miles at 5.26pm and estimated landing at 5.30pm.

“But the pilot subsequently lost contact with Yola Control Tower. Subsequent efforts to raise the aircraft after 5.30pm failed. It was at that point that possible crash was considered,” he explained.

He said investigations by AIB had not established the cause of the crash. “No hunches either,” he said.

Suntai flown abroad

Governor Suntai was, yesterday, moved from the National Hospital Abuja to Germany for medical attention.

Our reporter who was at the hospital, said a State House ambulance with registration number SH 557 that took the governor to the National Hospital on Friday, with heavily-armed police and Taraba State government officials at 10:57am, conveyed him from the hospital. Some members of the National Assembly, who could not be immediately identified, were also on ground.

The Chief Medical Director of the Hospital, Professor Shehu Bala went to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) where the governor was being attended to at exactly 12.00noon. There was tight security around the hospital premises.

A hospital source told our r exporter that the governor was in a critical condition before he was driven out of the hospital to the airport at 1:57pm.

Several ambulances belonging to the National Hospital left the hospital one after the other, making spectators believe they were carrying the governor out of the hospital. They blared the siren endlessly.

Fifteen minutes later, another ambulance came in without escort.  Several minutes later, another ambulance left the hospital without siren. It was therefore difficult to say which ambulance actually conveyed him to the airport.

Unconfirmed reports said Suntai’s right hand is dislocated. The ICU of the National Hospital, where the governor was being attended to, was completely sealed off by policemen.

I’m not Acting Governor — Suntai’s deputy

The Taraba State Deputy Governor, Alhaji Garba Umar, yesterday said that there is no power vacuum in the state, so he could not be sworn-in as acting governor.

Umar, who was reacting to insinuations that there was power vacuum in the state, said the governor was still alive and responding to treatment.

The deputy governor spoke to journalists at his residence in Jalingo. He said nobody was preventing him from carrying out the responsibilities of governor, hence there’s no need to seek the powers of Acting Governor.

“I am the deputy governor and I’m still the deputy governor, so I cannot be sworn-in as acting governor. My boss is sick and is recovering, so I’m still the deputy governor,” he said.

He said the news he received from Abuja yesterday was encouraging and called on the people of Taraba to continue to offer prayers for the speedy recovery of the governor.

Taraba State Commissioner for Information, Emmanuel Bello, said the people were initially bewildered, but when it became clear that the governor was stable, many changed their perception from sadness to hope.

“There is jubilation in the state. Many are happy that this tragedy did not go the way some people thought.  A lot of people have shown concern. There are those hoping, there are those praying,” Bello stated.

He said all those who flew with the governor were still alive.

He denied report that thugs had driven the deputy governor out of government.