Posted by From ISAAC ANUMIHE, Abuja on
President Olusegun Obasanjo Monday spent 40 minutes with the ADC plane crash victims in the National Hospital, Abuja. Obasanjo came in from the airport on his way from Sokoto, the destination of the plane and home of the late Sultan of Sokoto, Mohammadu Maccido.
President Olusegun Obasanjo Monday spent 40 minutes with the ADC plane crash victims in the National Hospital, Abuja.
Obasanjo came in from the airport on his way from Sokoto, the destination of the plane and home of the late Sultan of Sokoto, Mohammadu Maccido.
By 3.05pm, the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Sunday Ehindero had arrived, followed by the Minister of Aviation, Professor Babalola Aborishade. Few seconds later, the Commandant General of Security and Civil Defence Corps(CSDC), Dr Olu Abolurin among other dignitaries arrived and were seen standing in front of the Maryam Abacha Block of the hospital.
By 3.25pm, President Olusegun Obasanjo arrived and was taken straight to the intensive care unit where the daughter of Kogi State Governor, Miss Zainab Idris was admitted. In fact, the victim was in critical condition as she was supported with the aid of oxygen and drip.
Similarly, Obasanjo left for other wards to see the other seven victims including a youth corps member, Miss Esther Amodu who is serving in Sokoto State. Among the eight survivors of the crash, Zainab's case is the most critical.
The Assistant Chief Nursing Officer at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) where Zainab was admitted, Mr Bigwara Tawalihu told Daily Sun reporter that the patient was responding to treatment.
The president who saw the last victim at 4.00pm later left at 4.05pm.
Also on the entourage were the Minister of Education, Mrs Oby Ezekwesili who wore black dress and was looking moody all the time; Commissioner of Police, Federal Capital Territory, Mr Lawrence Alobi; the governor of Bayelsa State, Mr Goodluck Jonathan.
Speaking to newsmen after the visit, the governor said that what is worrisome in the whole thing was the spate of air disasters in Nigeria.
'Well, I came to the airport. I visited the site of the accident. Then, I followed the president to the hospital to see how the few survivors are faring. Everybody is sad. Not because there was a plane crash. This happens everywhere in the world, even in the developed countries of the world.
What worries us is that within a very short period of time, 13 months or so, we have five of such major incidents. But considering what is happening globally now where thousands of people died, ours has not reached that level yet." he said, assuring that if it was something that has to do with human element, it would be taken care of.