Showing posts with label Patrick Yakowa. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Patrick Yakowa. Show all posts

Thursday, December 20, 2012

I narrowly missed crashed helicopter –Gowon


Former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon












Former  Head of State  Gen. Yakubu Gowon said on Wednesday in Kafanchan, Kaduna State he narrowly missed the helicopter that crashed killing Kaduna State Governor Patrick Yakowa and ex-National Security Adviser Andrew Azazi in Bayelsa State on Saturday.
Four others also died in the crash.
Gowon said this during a Special Service Session to mark the 50th birthday   of Apostle Emmanuel Kure of Throney in Broom Ministry, Kafanchan.
He said, “As we were with the aide  to the President to pay our condolences, they were arranging  a Navy helicopter to take us to Yenogoa (with Yakowa). But, another helicopter was arranged for me and five others. And that was it.
“So when I heard about this accident, it really pained me. And I want to say, well, you can never tell with some of these things. It was an accident. Don’t impugn any meaning to it. Don’t say that it  was planned to get rid of some people or something like that.
“It was an accident, yes. There was this young pilot of the helicopter, who came to me after another helicopter was found for us, and he said to me, ‘Sir, but I was all ready to take you to Yenagoa as part of my duty today’. And I said to him, ‘don’t worry, there will be another time. I really hope I will have the pleasure of flying with you again’.
“These were nice innocent people. Something, probably mechanical, went wrong to have caused the accident. So it was not a plan to get rid of the governor for whatever any reason people want to guess.
“When, on Sunday, I saw the  governor (Mukhtar Yero), I said, ‘I hope you will continue with the good work that your late governor was doing. It was the two of you that were doing the work. You were working to bring peace to Kaduna State.  I hope you will do something about this madness alluded to Boko Haram,  which, unfortunately is being alluded to Muslims’.”
Also speaking on the occasion, Plateau State Governor Jonah Jang said Yakowa lived for the service of Nigeria.
Meanwhile, Fadan  Kagoma village, in Jema’a Local Government Council, birthplace of  the late Yakowa, is to receive his remains today (Thursday). Fadan Kagoma is about 230km away from Kaduna city.
At the Yakowa country home, workers were seen putting finishing touches to the grave   he will be buried.
One of the leaders in the village, who would not want his names in print, said,“Our village is going to witness the greatest gathering it has ever seen, but for a sad reason. We are expecting the President to land in this village by helicopter tomorrow (today).”

Sunday, December 16, 2012

Could this be the last snapshot of Gov Yakowa and Gen Azazi? – See Photo


A photo by Cosmas Asogwa has emerged and believed to be the last photograph taken of Governor Patrick Yakowa and General Patrick Azazi before their ill-fated helicopter trip in which the helicopter exploded and plunged into the sea as the two men were making their way to Port Harcourt from Okoroba, the hometown of presidential aide, Oronto Douglas.
The photo shows the two men walking away from the photographer. The governor is dressed in a blue traditional attire while the general is in a fresh suit.
The photographer reportedly described Governor Yakowa as “most cheerful man I met today (Saturday)”. He said the governor, upon alighting from the doomed chopper that brought him into Okoroba, beamed with smiles, greeting and acknowledging cheers.
May the souls of the departed rest in peace.

Press Statement: Pres. Jonathan orders investigation into crash that killed Azazi, Yakowa

STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE
PRESIDENT JONATHAN MOURNS VICTIMS OF HELICOPTER CRASH
President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has expressed utter shock and sadness over the crash Saturday in Bayelsa State of a military helicopter resulting in the death of Governor Patrick Yakowa of Kaduna State and former National Security Adviser (NSA), Gen. Owoye Azazi (rtd), their aides, Dauda Tsoho and Warrant Officer Mohammed Kamal and the pilots, Commander Muritala Mohammed Daba  and Lt. Adeyemi  O. Sowole.
The President extends deep and heartfelt condolences to the families and friends of the deceased, and the governments and people of Kaduna and Bayelsa States. He describes the sudden loss of these distinguished Nigerians as extremely painful to the entire nation.
President Jonathan has ordered an investigation into the cause(s) of the crash.
REUBEN ABATI
Special Adviser (Media& Publicity) to the President
December 15, 2012.


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