DANA Management Refutes Airline’s Safety Issues, Justifies Detention Of 23 Disembarking Passengers In 2010

Several members of the aviation committee of the House of Representatives investigating the operations of Dana Airline today dueled with the company’s management over the airline’s safety record.
Members of the legislative committee shared anecdotes of their unsettling experiences, dating back to 2010, whilst traveling on the airline. However, the management of DANA Airline strongly denied knowledge of any of the safety issues raised by the legislators. In addition, the airline justified its detention of 23 passengers on a July 14, 2010 flight that had a potential air danger, citing company policy.
Captain Oscar Wilson, Dana’s director of flight operations, denied that the aircraft that crashed on June 3rd in a Lagos slum was manufactured in 1983. Instead, he insisted that the doomed aircraft was manufactured in October 1990.
Mr. Wilson also disputed claims that all the planes in the airline’s fleet are old, but he put the average age of the company’s five planes at 21 years.
The director of flight operations further told the committee that the most important factor in an aircraft was not its age but its history of regular maintenance. “A three month [old] craft can as well crash if not regularly maintained. The age of aircraft does not determine their safety or airworthiness,” argued Mr. Wilson, adding that the ill-fated plane had its last maintenance check in September 2011.
Jacky Hathramani, Dana’s Managing Director, also spoke before the committee on the condition of the crashed aircraft. He disclosed that the airline’s maintenance checks were done by a Turkey-based company called MYTECHNIC. Mr. Hathramani also stated that the crashed aircraft had its last C-Check in September 2011, but he failed to provide documents to back up his claim.
Committee chair, Nkiruka Onyejeocha, noted during the interactive session that the airline had flouted a directive in 2009 to modify the engines of a certain Dana aircraft before obtaining an airworthiness certification. Ms. Onyejeocha suggested that the company’s failure to comply posed safety risks to its passengers.
Godwin Ike, a member of the House committee, detailed his frightful experience as a passenger on a Dana flight on July 14, 2010. He disclosed that some technical hitches prevented the aircraft’s engine from starting. He said that he, alongside 22 other passengers, had sought to disembark from the aircraft, worried about the potential danger posed by the craft that had to be manually started by the pilot after the engines had failed to start in the normal way. Mr. Ike said he and 22 other passengers were detained at the airport by the Dana management, regaining their freedom only after the aircraft landed safely at its destination. He accused the airline of
poor safety measures and human rights violation.
But Mr. Wilson rejected Mr. Ike’s complaints, stating that the detention of the 23 passengers was in keeping with the company’s policy. He disclosed that, whenever a passenger disembarks from an aircraft bound for departure, the airline ensures that such passenger is detained until the craft from which he or she disembarked is confirmed to have landed safely.
Although he stated that a disembarking passenger could have planted a harmful device on a plane before deciding to disembark, he did not speak about why the company would not ground the faulty aircraft from which passengers disembarked – to provide passengers with another plane in a better condition for a safe flight.
Officials of DANA Airline also denied reports of previous technical faults with their airline. Captain Wilson said the crashed plane had never been grounded for any technical issue prior to the June 3rd crash at Iju-Ishaga in Lagos.
Following the crash of DANA Flight 992, Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom revealed that he had warned the airline of the poor safety condition of its craft. But at today’s hearing, Mr. Wilson said he was aware of Governor Akpabio’s warning, but said he wasn’t sure if the crashed aircraft was the particular one the governor Akpabio complained about.
At the hearing, a witness spoke about a slack door on a Dana flight that was rubber-taped to hold it in place for departure, but the Dana director of flight operations denied knowledge of the incident.
Miffed by the denials by Dana management, Emmanuel Okon, a member of the aviation committee, recounted a series of ugly personal experiences with the airline. He also said he was aware of occasions when the airline’s flights were aborted due to technical woes. Mr. Okon related an experience on December 28, 2011 when all passengers on a Dana aircraft had to disembark as the engine failed to start. He disclosed that a technical crew was flown from Lagos to Uyo to fix the fault. Besides, the airline was involved in an emergency landing case on May 10.
Other cited incidents included one when the plane’s gear failed to come out at landing and another, on May 28, when a Dana plane reportedly made a return after take-off, but was soon put back in operation, according to passengers.
Dana officials at today’s session said the crashed plane had been operating in Nigeria for three and a half years. Captain Wilson also disclosed that the ill-fated craft was acquired in 2008.

Bomb Scare In Abuja, Offices Evacuate Staff

Offices have been evacuated over fears that a deadly explosive had been planted in a location in the city centre.
The Wuse Zone 5 area of Abuja is in chaos, as organizations scramble to evacuate staff, after information spread of a perceived bomb in the area.
The explosive device is believed to be planted between Top View Hotel and the headquarters of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps office in the area.
The area also has the headquarters of the People’s Democratic Party, banks, and the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).
A witness, who works with FIRS told 3m360 that the entire area has been evacuated and the police anti-bomb squad alerted. He said heavy traffic has built up in the area, movement restricted to one lane.
“We are waiting for the anti bomb squad to either detonate it or declare the area safe,” the witness said.

Abba Abacha A No-Show In Appeal Of Swiss Court Verdict Ordering Him To Repay $350 Million To Nigeria

Sani Abacha’s son, Abba Abacha, was missing from a Swiss court Monday that was to hear his appeal of a lower court ruling ordering the return of $350 million plundered from Nigeria’s assets. The ruling issued in 2009 also found him guilty of involvement in a criminal organization and issued a suspended prison term. The family is believed to have siphoned some $3 billion while Sani Abacha was power between 1993 and 1998.
Abacha's lawyer, Pierre de Preux, said his client applied for a Swiss visa in the Nigerian capital of Abuja on Wednesday, but was told by the Swiss embassy that issuing a visa would take at least ten days.
 
Abacha, 41, is ready to come and explain himself, de Preux said. “This is not a simple traffic offense case,” he told journalists, adding that he would ask the court to set a new date for the hearing.
 
Lawyer David Bitton, who is representing Nigeria, described the defense tactics as crass: “They are trying to buy themselves an acquittal request.”
 
A trial can still take place in Abacha’s absence, however.
 
Nigerian authorities had sought Swiss help in repatriating the stolen money that ended up in Swiss bank accounts. The money had been spirited out of the country, according to testimony, by straightforward pillaging of the Nigeria Central Bank – in some cases palettes of banknotes were delivered to the general’s home – to more sophisticated practices like embezzling public funds, fraudulent vaccination programs or pocketing money from foreign firms working in the country.
 
Abba Abacha, the court heard, had used false identities and passports to open over 30 bank accounts from 1996 onwards in Switzerland, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein and the Bahamas to stash his father and relatives’ money.
 
In the inquiry he claimed he had acted at the request of his brother, Mohammed, who was behind the affairs, without knowing that it was illegal to use false names for banking transactions.
 
Since Switzerland started the investigation in 1999, officials have recovered about $700 million, paid back to Nigeria in installments.
 
Nearly the entire international banking community appears to have had some role in hiding the Abacha monies. In a 2002 report, the Swiss Federal Banking Commission said 19 banks had dealings with Abacha and did not report suspicions of money laundering to the Swiss authorities.
 
Six banks - three branches of Crédit Suisse Plus, Crédit Agricole Indosuez, Union Bancaire Privée and MM Warburg - were singled out for failing to run adequate checks on new accounts, including those opened by Gen. Abacha's two sons.
 
“The mere fact that significant assets of dubious origin, from people close to former Nigerian President Sani Abacha, were deposited at Swiss banks is highly unsatisfactory and damages the image of Switzerland as a financial centre," Banking Commission chairman Kurt Hauri said in 2002 after a 10-month investigation.
 
The commission said that almost a third of the Abacha money deposited with Swiss banks had first been banked in the UK, United States and Austria.
 
The hearing is set to resume on Tuesday despite Abacha’s request for a postponement.

Boko Haram Promises Bloodier Days; Threatens More Attacks On Churches And Government Buildings

Boko Haram's leader-Abubakar Shekau

The militant Jama'atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda'awati Wal-Jihad, an Islamist sect widely known as Boko Haram, has revealed to SaharaReporters that it plans to launch further devastating attacks on churches and government buildings in the coming days and weeks.
On the heels of this week’s escalation of sectarian violence in Kaduna State, the sect said it planned to make the month of June 2012 the bloodiest month yet in its violent and bloody campaigns against those it tagged infidels.
 
A contact for the sect told SaharaReporters that his group’s planned attacks would be focused and bloody. The group’s spokesperson claimed that Boko Haram had moved some 300 suicide bombers to attack churches in Southern Kaduna as well as Plateau State.
The source also stated that the sect was determined to exact massive revenge for the Muslims killed in the Jos and Southern Kaduna areas.
 
To achieve its current deadly agenda, the contact said Boko Haram had recruited the sons and daughters of some Muslims killed in past religious conflicts. He revealed that the new recruits are sworn to an oath of secrecy and allegiance before they are sent to train in handling weapons, bomb making and suicide bombing in Mauritania and Somalia. On the trainees’ return to Nigeria, they are handed over to Boko Haram “welfare officers” who ensure that all their needs are met.
 
The contact disclosed that Boko Haram’s welfare officers provide material support for the suicide bombers’ families and relatives before and after the recruits are sent on assignments, mostly suicide missions that end their lives. He stated that Boko Haram’s welfare officers continue to cater to the needs of suicides’ families, often paying them huge "gratuities."
The contact for Boko Haram stated that the planned attacks will almost quadruple on Sunday when the sect plans to attack several churches simultaneously to prove their deadly potency. "Boko Haram intends to show to President Jonathan that his military advisers are just deceiving him," said the source.
 
 Apart from attacks on churches, the contact said the sect plans to attack or take over government buildings in Kano, Kaduna, Yobe and Gombe states. He added that the sect also plans a major attack on the Federal Capital territory (FCT) before the end of June to cap its possibly bloodiest campaign in June. He said Boko Haram wanted to prove that the Nigerian security agencies have in no way hampered the sect’s operations and that security forces cannot match the group’s deadly force.
The contact explained that the decision to intensify attacks this June was reportedly taken at the sect’s recent "parliamentary" meeting

President Jonathan’s Delegation To Brazil Is World’s Largest, At 116! what a waste

As Nigerians lament the abrupt departure of President Goodluck Jonathan for Brazil in the middle of violence and counter-violence in the North, SaharaReporters has gathered that the Nigerian ruler arrived at his destination with 116 men and women, the largest national delegation, contrary to his pledge in January to travel at less weight and expense.
Our sources say the team is made up of:
•    25 personal aides
•    18 aides of Patience Jonathan
•    2 members of the National Assembly
•    5 Ministers
•    2 Governors, and
•    63 officials from the Ministries of Enviroment, Foreign Affairs, National Planning and Petroleum Resources.
The junket will continue for Mr. Jonathan next week Thursday when he will be in Brussels for the World Customs Conference, scheduled for June 28-30.  He will be taking with him about 57 people, including 26 aides, 3 Ministers, 8 members of the National Assembly, and 20 other government officials.  
From June 25 to 29, Mrs. Jonathan will be in Maryland, United States, accompanied by 36 people: 18 aides, 4 wives of Governors, and 14 friends and associates to attend a UNESCO First Lady’s “Youth Infusion” Summit in Annapolis, Maryland.
Nigerian political parties yesterday lambasted Mr. Jonathan’s decision to leave for Brazil, just hours after violence and counter-violence had reportedly resulted in over 74 dead and hundreds injured.  On Sunday, the president called on God to intervene in the violence.
But he has also promised to see to the end of the Islamic militant group militant Jama'atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda'awati Wal-Jihad, widely-known as Boko Haram, this month.  After he made that pledge in April, the militants promised to make June a bloody month in order to prove that Jonathan has no power over them.  Some helpless Christians have in the past few days resorted to reprisal attacks against Muslims.  
Only yesterday, as Jonathan hopped on one of his gleaming new executive jets and left the chaos in Nigeria behind, Boko Haram notified SaharaReporters that it would launch even more devastating attacks on churches and government buildings in the coming days.  
The group’s contact person said Boko Haram had line up about 300 suicide bombers to attack churches in Southern Kaduna and in Plateau State in its determination to exact considerable revenge for the Muslims killed in Christian reprisals in the last few days.

BBA: Mnet makes official statement on Maneta/Roki's disqualification

Student Maneta and musician Roki, both housemates from Zimbabwe, were evicted from Big Brother StarGame today (Tuesday June 19, 2012). The two housemates had been bickering all day and despite Big Brother intervening and advising both housemates directly that they needed to amend their behavior immediately, in line with the clearly stated house rules forbidding violence and provocation, the housemates chose to disregard this instruction

Their bickering continued and escalated into violence.  According to the rules of the show any housemate committing any act of physical violence is subject to immediate expulsion from the series. This season saw the ‘anti-violence’ rule expanded to include any housemate whose provocative behavior contributed substantially to creating a  hostile and aggressive environment in which violence is the result. M-Net and series producers Endemol consider the rules regarding physical violence among the most important in the house and are committed to enforcing the immediate disqualification of any housemate/s who break these. Roki and Maneta will be provided with psychological and medical treatment and counseling to assist them with conflict and anger management. For more information on the series, log on to www.africamagic.tv/bigbrother

D'Banj shows love to fans sings in the rain

In entertainment musical circles, the most popular act is often times the last to perform. As the headlining act, the anticipation of watching the performance keeps the crowd till the end of the show. 
One of Nigeria’s most popular hip hop artistes, D’Banj, headlined the Awka leg of Nigeria’s biggest musical in-country tour – Star Trek. And he performed last. The clouds had gathered as D’Banj stepped on stage to the admiration of screaming fans who had gathered to watch Nigeria’s best thrill them.
He dragged hip-hop artiste, Ikechukwu to the Marble Arch, Abakaliki, venue of the concert. Several minutes into his performance the clouds gave way to rain. With the exception of a few who scampered for cover, majority of the crowd did not leave the ground. They had gathered in pockets early in the day expressing doubts about the possibility of witnessing D’Banj and other music stars perform for a N200 gate fee.

The downpour did not dampen their spirits though. Marvelled at the crowd’s defiance of the rain to watch him perform, D’Banj decided to reciprocate their gesture. After handing over his jewellery to a member of his entourage, he left the comfort of the stage for a podium with no cover. The inspired crowd echoed the lyrics to his songs as he entertained them in the rain.

Earlier musical performances were rendered by Flavour, Sound Sultan, Mr. Raw and Diamondz, the 2008 Star Quest winning band. The Star Trek train moved to the Abakaliki Township stadium, Abakaliki, the following day. The crowd was thrilled by MI, J.Martins, Naeto C, Mr. Raw and Flavour. Crystals, the Star Quest 2012 winning band performed at all locations.

The last legs of the Star Trek tour will be staged in Uyo and Calabar. Nigeria’s most popular musical export, Tuface Idibia, is expected to round-up performances of what has been a successful musical tour thus far. He is expected to light-up the Calabar Cultural Centre Complex alongside Wiz Kid, Wande Coal and KC.

The performing artistes at the Uyo Township Stadium are Wande Coal, Wiz Kid, Mr. Raw, Tiwa Savage and Presh.