Our correspondent
who visited the village of Namtari got a firsthand account from eyewitnesses.
The witnesses who
initially declined comment on the ground that the incident involved high personalities
said that four occupants were in the flight and not six as widely reported.
Both Abubakar
Bamanga and Umar Hamajoda who spoke to us in Hausa language said the plane was
coming normally like any other aircraft, suddenly the sound changed and that
was followed by an immediate U-turn giving all signs that the plane was going
to crash, as it eventually did in a very familiar farm behind the NNPC depot.
As they heard the
sound of the crash, they picked their touch lights as it was already getting
dark and they ran to the scene of the crash.
On arrival, one of
the occupants was already out of the aircraft and crying for help as he asked
them to hasten up the rescue because three others including the Taraba state
Governor were still inside the plane for fear of possible fire outbreak.
They however
confirm that the governor was the last to be rescued because it took them time
to locate his whereabout as he was equally trapped under the now wrecked plane
and being held down by the seatbelt.
“The plane was
passing and suddenly we heard an unusual sound then we saw it made a u turn and
began to crash, and as we got to the scene, I was holding touch light while
others were carrying out the rescue. It was a terrible experience. The governor
was the last to be rescued” Abubakar Bamanga said.
At the crash site,
crops such as beans and Maize plantation of almost 150 metres long were
destroyed after the aircraft had crashed on trees within the farm.
The Farmer whose
crops were destroyed, Mr. Zirrah Koji who was at the crash site during our
visit also prayed for the speedy recovery of the victims while soliciting for
assistance towards some compensation.
Efforts to get the
version of the airport authority on the rescue carried out or what actually led
to the crashed failed as they declined comment.
Similarly, efforts
to interview the victims who were said to be receiving treatment at the Federal
Medical Centre Yola proved abortive as we were barred from knowing their
conditions.
Hospital source
who pleaded said that two of the victims
were in stable condition while the other is still laying critical at the
accident and emergency unit of the clinic as the governor had already been
moved to the National Hospital; Abuja may flown out of the country for extended
treatment.