What could easily have become the worst aviation disaster in
recent memory was averted Saturday when an aircraft carrying no
fewer than 560 passengers returning to Niger State from Saudi
Arabia made an emergency landing at Minna Airport.
The near-disaster, which a source close to the airport in Minna
said occurred at around 5 am Saturday morning, is reportedly a
first at the airport.
According to the source, the aircraft, a Max Air Boeing 744 with
registration number 5N/ DBK, carrying about 560 Muslim pilgrims
returning from the annual Hajj pilgrimage, developed a technical
fault, resulting in a forced landing.
The accident caused damage to one of the four engines of the
aircraft, the source said, with further damage to a section of the
tarmac and other materials when the aircraft skidded off the
runway.
Most of the passengers on board were said to be in a state of
shock as they rushed out of the aircraft.
None are reported to be hurt or injured.
The exact cause of the accident has not been determined or
communicated to the media either by the airline or aviation
authorities.
“I have never seen this type of thing in my life, only God saved
us from a terrible disaster,” the source, a senior official at the
airport, told Daily Sun.
“The fire that would have followed would have spread to all
parts of the airport because we don’t have fire fighting vehicles
in this airport.”
Our correspondent has also learnt that five officials of the
Accident Bureau of Investigation arrived Minna from Lagos to
inspect the partly damaged aircraft.
As of the time of filing this report, officials from the airline
and the Accident Investigation Bureau were at a closed door
meeting.
Public Relations Officer of the Niger State Pilgrims Welfare
Board Hajia Hassana Isah, when contacted on the incident, confirmed
the story but did not give further details.
Isah, however, said the development would not affect the return
journey of the over 2,000 pilgrims still in Saudi Arabia, assuring
that the deadline for their return would be met.
No official of the airline was available to comment on the
accident, even with reports that the pilot was devastated what
could have become a fatal disaster.
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Bala Ciroma FCT PoliceCommissioner
The FCT Police Command is calling on the public to disregard the
video being circulated on the social media of an attack on the
South African embassy in Abuja. It is pertinent to state that there
was no recorded of such an incident in any of the Federal Capital
Territory.
2. The Command, therefore, wishes to reassure the public that it
has put in place adequate security measures to protect lives and
property across FCT, including Embassies.
………………..
FG Debunks Explosion Report at South-African High Commission
The Federal Government has debunked the report being circulated
on the social media of a bomb explosion at the South African High
Commission in Abuja on Saturday, calling the report fake news
orchestrated by the desperate opposition to cause panic and chaos
among the populace.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Saturday, the Minister of
Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said the video of the
purported bomb explosion, which is being circulated on the social
media, is that of the bomb explosion at Emab Plaza, near Banex, in
Abuja on June 25 2014.
The Minister said it is now apparent that the desperate
opposition has decided to use fake news and disinformation as handy
tools in their avowed determination to make Nigeria ungovernable,
having lost woefully at the polls.
”A pattern is emerging of the antics of the desperate opposition
to latch on to the use of fake news and disinformation as a
strategy to trigger chaos in the country. On Friday (6 Sept 2019),
they doctored and circulated the video of my appearance on Channels
Television in
January 2015 (when I was the spokesman of the APC) to make it look
like I was begging Nigerians to forgive President Buhari for not
having a school certificate. Worse still, they posted the video
afresh, giving the impression it happened last Thursday and that I
acted in my capacity as Minister of Information and Culture.
”Unfortunately for them, this doctored video came out on the
same day a report emerged that the PDP had sent lawyers and party
agents to the University of Cambridge to confirm the authenticity
of the President’s West African school certificate, only to be
stunned to discover that not only did the President write the
examination, he also passed.
”One would have expected a party that trumpets its belief in the
rule of law, a party that challenged the result of the last
presidential election in court, to wait patiently for the impending
judgement on the issue instead of engaging in underhand tactics and
resorting to self help,” he said.
Alhaji Mohammed appealed to Nigerians to be very discerning at
this time, and to check the veracity of any information they
receive.
”This is just the beginning. Nigerians should expect an
explosion of fake news and disinformation in the days and weeks
ahead. This is because the desperation of this opposition is
alarming. But their strategy will fail, just like every other
dubious strategy that they have been employing in their desperate
bid to grab power,” he said.
The Minister warned those behind the orchestrated fake news and
disinformation campaign to stop forthwith or be made to face the
music.
Segun Adeyemi
SA To Hon Minister of Information and Culture
Abuja