3rd October, 2013
The residence of late former Governor Olusegun Agagu wore a sombre look on Thursday as news of the plane crash involving some members of his burial party spread.
The Akure-bound Associated Airlines’ flight had crashed in Lagos minutes after it took off from the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, aviation and emergency operations officials said.
The small aircraft, which was registered as 5NBJY, crashed into the fuel dump area of the airport and caught fire.
Dr Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, the General Manager of Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, confirmed that 11 occupants of the aircraft died while four others were rescued and taken to the hospital.
Moments after the crash, many sympathisers started trooping to the late former Ondo state governor’s Bodija residence in Ibadan.
A NAN correspondent, who visited the residence in the Oyo State capital, reports that some relations and sympathisers had assembled in groups discussing the development.
One family member, who refused to disclose her identity, said the crash came as a rude shock.
She told NAN that some family members were already on their way to Iju-Odo in Ondo State for the burial programme when the news of the crash came in.
Some mobile policemen were also sighted interrogating visitors, who were attempting to enter the late ex-governor’s residence.
NAN further reports that Agagu’s corpse was one of the 12 bodies recovered by emergency officials at the site of the crash.
Osanyintolu confirmed the number of bodies recovered in a telephone interview with NAN.
“Emergency response officials, while conducting rescue operations shortly after the crash at Mafoluku in Lagos, had spotted a casket and the bodies of the 11 passengers on the plane who died.
“The casket had the remains of the former Ondo state governor,’’ he said.