Nigeria mourns for crash generals

[Richard Akindele]

Three days of mourning have been declared in Nigeria for 10 of the most senior army commanders who died when their military plane crashed.
Those killed near the south-eastern town of Obudu include eight major generals and two brigadier generals, the authorities said.

President Olusegun Obasanjo called the crash a "monumental tragedy" and is flying home early from Singapore.

Two other officers also died, while at least four survived, the military says.

There were 18 people on board the Dornier 228 aircraft when it crashed into a hill 18 nautical miles from Obudu after flying from the capital, Abuja.

'Big loss'

The private meeting had been ordered by the new chief of army staff to discuss the challenges facing the military.

The BBC's Alex Last in Nigeria says it is thought the restructuring of the task force in the volatile, oil-rich Niger Delta would be one of the key issues for discussion; the other being the army's role in maintaining stability in the run-up to next year's elections.

A spokesman at the Nigerian defence headquarters, Brigadier General Felix Chukwuma, told the BBC the crash would affect the whole defence establishment:

"They are the top echelon in the army headquarters... It is a big loss, irreparable, but the army shall still wade on."

Captain Emeka Ozomena told the BBC it was too early to speculate on the causes of the crash. President Obasanjo has ordered an investigation.

More than 200 people died in two air disasters last year, leading many to question the safety of Nigerian planes.

After the disasters, several airlines were grounded while safety checks were carried out.


BBC

[Richard Akindele]

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

SINGAPORE -- Twelve people died in the crash of a Nigerian Air Force jet, most of them senior military personnel, the country's finance minister said Monday.

Nigeria's president cut short a visit to Singapore and rushed back to his country following Sunday's crash, the cause of which remained under investigation.

The military transport aircraft was traveling from the capital, Abuja, to the southern town of Obudu when it went down in the southeast with a group of military officers on board.

Nigerian Air Force spokesman Emeka Ozoemena said Sunday that a search and rescue team had reached the site and found some survivors.

Finance Minister Nenadi E. Usman said 12 of 17 people were killed and most were senior military personnel.

Obasanjo was in Singapore for the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank.


"He had to leave and return home immediately," Usman said before delivering a keynote speech on Obasanjo's behalf.

Nigeria is Africa's leading oil producer and the world's eight-biggest exporter, but is hobbled by a history of official corruption and bloody coups.

A World Bank report released at the annual general meeting in Singapore last week cited Nigeria among 26 countries at risk of failing and becoming hotbeds of terrorism and regional instability.

[Richard Akindele]

Nigeria mourns for crash generals

Three days of mourning have been declared in Nigeria for 10 of the most senior army commanders who died when their military plane crashed.

Those killed near the south-eastern town of Obudu include eight major generals and two brigadier generals, the authorities said.

President Olusegun Obasanjo called the crash a "monumental tragedy" and is flying home early from Singapore.

Two other officers also died, while at least four survived, the military says.

There were 18 people on board the Dornier 228 aircraft when it crashed into a hill 18 nautical miles from Obudu after flying from the capital, Abuja.

'Big loss'

The private meeting had been ordered by the new chief of army staff to discuss the challenges facing the military.

The BBC's Alex Last in Nigeria says it is thought the restructuring of the task force in the volatile, oil-rich Niger Delta would be one of the key issues for discussion; the other being the army's role in maintaining stability in the run-up to next year's elections.

A spokesman at the Nigerian defence headquarters, Brigadier General Felix Chukwuma, told the BBC the crash would affect the whole defence establishment:

"They are the top echelon in the army headquarters... It is a big loss, irreparable, but the army shall still wade on."

Captain Emeka Ozomena told the BBC it was too early to speculate on the causes of the crash. President Obasanjo has ordered an investigation.

More than 200 people died in two air disasters last year, leading many to question the safety of Nigerian planes.

After the disasters, several airlines were grounded while safety checks were carried out.


BBC