Plane Crash: NUC mourns dead staff

Nnamdi Felix / Abuja

The atmosphere at the Headquarters of the National University Commission, NUC, the apex regulatory body for tertiary institutions in Nigeria this morning was one of grief, anguish and pains as staffers of the Commission mourned the loss of five members who were on board the ill-fated Dana Airliner which crashed in Lagos yesterday afternoon.

The deceased staff were said to have left Abuja to Lagos on an official duty, part of which was to visit the Anchor University owned by Pastor Kumuyi’s Deeper Life Bible Church, which had applied for registration with the regulatory body.

The late former officials were Professor Celestine Onwuriri who was a visiting Professor at the Commission and head of the Private Universities Unit of the Commission. He was also married to the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs.

Others are Mahmud Bukawa, Architect Mrs Chinwe Obi, Ehioghae Zunny and Mrs Maimunat Shuaibu, all Deputy Directors and Heads of Units at the Commission.

The Education Minister and many Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Universities thronged the Commission to pay their condolence and many other dignitaries were seen queuing up to sign the condolence registers opened for the fallen colleagues.