Naval chopper crash: Falana accuses FG of failing to commiserate with four others

By Bartholomew Madukwe

Lagos lawyer and human rights activist, Mr Femi Falana (SAN) has accused the Federal Government of not deeming it fit to commiserate with the remaining four who died in a naval chopper that crashed in a swampy location in the Nimbe local government area of Bayelsa state on Saturday, December 16, 2012 killing also General Andrew Owoye Azazi and Governor Patrick Yakowa.

Falana said: “Since the naval chopper which crashed in a swampy location in the Nimbe local government area of Bayelsa state on Saturday, December 16, 2012 killing all the six people on board the impression has been conveyed by the Federal Government that only two people- General Andrew Owoye Azazi and Governor Patrick Yakowa lost their lives”.

File photo: Scene of the crash, near Okoroba in Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa state. Photo: Samuel Oyandongha.

He pointed out that President Goodluck Jonathan and other government officials have since paid condolence visits to the bereaved families of  General Azazi and Governor Yakowa, noting that apart from  such  condolence visits the Federal Government has been involved in the burial programmes  of  the two VIPs.

“Notwithstanding that some members of the families of the deceased pilots and aides have complained of official neglect  the Federal Government has not deemed it fit to commiserate with them for losing their loved ones in an avoidable plane crash” Falana added.