•Joel, Esther and Chisom...yesterday
Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN) was yesterday at the scene of Sunday’s plane crash in Iju-Ishaga to see things for himself, encourage the rescuers and comfort the bereaved.
He was already on his way out when he encountered three distraught kids, who were wondering what had become of their parents.
Joel Okwuchukwu, 11, his nine-year-old brother Chisom Okwuchukwu and seven-year-old sister Esther Okwuchukwu, until yesterday, lived with their parents - Mr. Jeremiah and Mrs. Josephine Okwuchukwu - in one of the buildings affected by the crash.
Joel told the governor that they narrowly escaped the tragedy as they were sent out on an errand by their parents. The incident occurred while they were returning home.
They slept at a neighbour’s house and had not seen their parents since Sunday, the boy told Fashola.
The children said they could only remember the name of one of their uncles in Abuja - Tony Okechukwu.
Fashola, moved by their plight brought them to the State House, Ikeja, pending when a relative of theirs would be found.
Speaking at the scene of the crash, Fashola said: “My sympathy and condolences go to all of the victims and their families. It’s really hard finding words to express our pain and grief here but our condolences go out to the family of the bereaved, friends and relations.
“It is so sad that ordinary people trying to earn a living end up so tragically. This is a traumatic and painful experience but we also condole with the management and staff of Dana Air and we want to commend the first responder, the Fire service, LASEMA, NEMA, Red Cross, police and others that have supported in the rescue efforts.”
The governor urged the public to stay away from the scene to enable the investigators carry out their assignment.
“I want to use this opportunity also to appeal to the media and other people; this is not a tourist site. It is an investigation site and we should keep our distance and allow the first responder to do their work. The difference between whether anybody would have surviveed or not is a question of how quickly they can get to that person and we should not be in the way of the first responder when they come to this kind of site and I want to appeal once again that whilst the media has a job to do here, they should keep a very respectable distance. They should keep all this sad images of body away because our children are at home to watch”.
The Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Aderemi Ibirogba, alongside his Environment counterpart, Tunji Bello, released a help line 08023414111 to enable relatives make contact with the government.
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