Tragic Helicopter Crash Report and Political Controversies in Nigeria

[Music] Joining us now is Oop with stories trending around the world. Hello Janet.

Good morning Dr. Abati. How are you this morning? Perfect. Good morning Vimai, our favorite Niger wife. Good morning

Rufi on fire. How are you this morning? All right. Well, good morning to you viewers. Let's begin. was trending in

the United States where the National Transportation Safety Board on Wednesday released its final report on the

February 9th, 2024 helicopter crash that killed former access holding CEO Herbert Wigu, his wife Dorin, their son Chey,

and former NGX chairman Abimola Umbajanjo. The NTSB concluded that the primary cause of the crash was the

pilot's decision to fly visually into poor weather conditions, resulting to a special disorientation and a loss of

control. The report also cited inadequate safety oversight by the helicopter operator, including failures

in pre-flight risk assessments, maintenance logging, and adherence to safety protocols. a key factor that the

helicopter's malfunctioning radar ultimeter which the pilot was aware but proceeded with the flight despite failed

repair attempts. The helicopter operating under visual flight rules entered conditions requiring instrument

navigation leading to the fatal crash. This was such a you know heartbreaking news when we got it yesterday uh in the

media. you know there was no communication like they said between the pilot and the flight following you know

uh or regarding the altimeter during that whole um incident. The question was who ordered the pilot to fly and you

know I had you I had a conversation with the family and they have released a statement and I'll read that statement.

They wrote, "The family of pastor Shingu have seen the report of investigations into the circumstances surrounding the

ill- fated helicopter crash of which claimed the lives of Herbert Chisoba and Cheyigu in the media. It is traumatic

that such information is shared without consideration for the family, especially aged parents, often children and

surviving siblings. The aviation industry is governed by very strict regulations and practices to ensure the

safety of flights. It was negligent to operate the flight when the malfunctioning altera had been

identified. It is imperative that all circumstances surrounding the operation of the flight should be interrogated. It

is known that fatalities in aviation accidents are often absolute. We are considering the report and shall react

as necessary and appropriate. This was signed by Mecha Gray for the family. Uh Vimby, I don't know if you have had a

chance to speak on this matter. Um you know, I'd like your thoughts on it. There's so many questions as to why the

flight went on knowing that the helicopter had issues. Yeah. You know, just hearing the statement, it reminds

me of how trauma is. The thing with trauma, right, is that when you hear about the thing that traumatized you or

when you get more information about it, it's almost like living through it again. So, I really feel their pain

because it's almost receiving this report and most likely also, you know, engaging with it in the public fora. Of

course, we know NTSB wouldn't necessarily send it uh privately to anybody. They publish all of their

findings. So, for them to wake up and see this published, I can't imagine the trauma around that. Having said that,

you know, Oji, sometimes we are uh we mistakenly assume that when we are overseas, things are better, more

controlled, the standards, safety standards are higher. And the honest truth is this is a reminder for all of

us that it doesn't matter where we are in the world, we just can't be too vigilant.

Th this reminds me of Kobe Bryant and these helicopter crashes. There was another one just a few weeks ago. You

remember in New York, these helicopter crashes in the United States are becoming far too regular and there is a

crisis in this sector. It's very clear because you can't continue having all of these fatalities and nothing happens.

Something's got to give. So, this is devastating. Uh, you know, even if the family takes action, for me personally,

I'm not really for the family taking action because it's just reliving that trauma. It's scratching the wound over

and over. But whatever action they take, I just hope that they can get some closure and just continue to to seek

some type of solace and and peace in this in this tragedy. Absolutely. Absolutely. The family has the option to

sue. I know you want to speak quickly. Yes. I want to talk about I had commented on this earlier and I said

that safety is the most important thing in aviation. You don't compromise it. And you know I can see that line in the

statement by the uh family Because when you provide service for people, you have something they call

duty of care. You have a duty of care to ensure that nothing happens to that person. Either you are running a

hospital or you are running uh helicopter business. When you breach that duty and it can be established that

you did not focus on that duty of care, Lord Wright in McMillan case and Apata JSC in the Mongaloo case

ordinaka versus Mongaloo made a point that look you are liable under the strict law of thought. I think the

family should sue. Yes. and claim damages because this is a tragedy that affects everybody. Absolutely. All the

people who knew Wiggu and his family. No, they should sue them and claim damages because that is the third level,

you know, under failure to observe a duty of care. Yes, duty of care most important. It was just purely

negligence. But I think investigation should be done further that who authorized the aviation team the

helicopter team to go ahead despite the fact that a text message was sent that the ultimeter and you know what the

ultimeter does in a plane shows you altitude. Yes. You cannot fly a helicopter without the ultimeter. It's

like leading you to the slaughter slab. That's what I said earlier. So who pushed that aviation company to continue

with that flight when the ultimeter was bad? Because all of these correspondents were encapsulated in a text message that

showed the problem had not been solved. So who pushed them to go ahead? Who made the booking? Who saw to the booking

happening? Who instructed that flight to go ahead? Because there is no way an aviation company worth his salt has

problem with ultimator that he will not report back to the client and say this is what we're facing. We cannot fly an

abort mission. But like you also said, America is draconian for very, you know, unsafe activity like that. That's what's

been going on. Okay. So, let us also know as regards this case, what is happen? And I want the family to But

apart from even suing, there should also be an investigation. They should be able to get a private investigation, forensic

expert to now go through what really transpired. There's more than what meets the eyes in the Herbert W case. And you

know, we're getting questions as to, you know, uh, the maintenance manager. Why did he order that helicopter to fly

knowing that there was you know and he's actually the only surviving you know person in that whole incident I believe

he should be queried the helicopter company also need to provide us with a robust statement taking away the lives

of our stars the chairman of the NGX group the family of Herbert Wig what they're going through at this moment

quickly really really sad incident again may their souls rest in peace. I hope that you know they get some uh soccer in

the near future. Well, in another development, Atiku Isisa, the factional

president of the National Association of Nigerian Students who accused President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's son Shahit Tinu of

kidnapping and torturing him over his refusal to accept a 100 million naira bribe to support President Tinubu. has

now released a statement on Facebook apologizing to Shahiti Tinubu. He stated that he was misled by Ladja Olah into

believing that the president's son was responsible for orchestrating the attacks against him. Issa made the

damaging statements on April 30th during a press conference in Abuja saying that the Minister of Youth Development had

offered him the 100 million naira bribe and that he was subsequently attacked and abducted. His apology to Shayin Wu

on Facebook has been met with reactions. Well, let me take a read a part of his post before I take this comment. Well,

Issa wrote on Facebook allegedly that it has become imperative to note that the offer of 100 million naira which was

alleged was made to me to support President Tinubu was clearly untrue as Lad Jaola who was desperate to get me

out of my legitimate position as the dulyeleed president of the National Association of Nigerian Students fed me

the lies and halftruths for the sole purpose of achieving his selfish agenda of taking over the reigns of the student

body through the back doors. It was also Ladu Jaola who warned me that Mr. Shahit Tinubu could order my killing and

thereafter instruct the inspector general of police Mr. Kyote Eguetto to bury the matter. I also stated among

other things that Shahit Tinubu led thugs to the very of my inauguration. This was very untrue. I made this claims

owing to the picture of Shahimu painted to me by Ladd Ja who swore to me that Shahi was doing everything to ensure I

am not alive to serve my tenure as Nan's president. In fact, I later found out that Mr. Shahi was nowhere near the

venue and this is supposed to be coming from Comrade Atiku Issa on Facebook. Rafi, when I read the statement, I said

the statement is incomplete. He did not explain to me as to to us as to who actually ordered the beating, who beat

him up. It's I mean we need more um you know from him if you know he actually put out the statement. We have covered

this story at length but you know we got a statement I believe from you know the NANS group and if I can read that

statement he wrote despite the recent public outcry about the abduction of comrade Atiku Isa Abuaka and the

disruption of the inauguration of Nan executives at Wells Carton Hotel Aokoro Abuja comrade Isa Atiku Abuaka has not

been seen in public he has been detained in the hospital and all his means of communic communication has been con s

confisticated by the department of state services DSS as I speak with you now he is still convolescent I want the general

public to disregard any statement of apology purportedly emanating from him as this is coming from a coerc and

subjugated comrade we will provide updates about the incidents as the events unfold and we want to implore all

Nigerians to speak up at this precurs first period of repression and this statement is from Oro Enola ai and he is

the nan pro dr are you laughing at my English I did it well didn't my euroba I'm doing well I can't be sitting with

two yes exactly two great and not be able to speak euroba but this is really a a a sad incident rufi we're getting

these two reports now one from the pro and then we're getting a Facebook post, not a video, not a comment, not a voice

note from Issa. So, a couple of things. I mean, it speaks for itself. A man has been bruised. He's in hospital

recovering. He put out this message. You say all his phones while with DSS and all of that. All of a sudden, you see a

message from him saying otherwise. Then who beat him in the first place? Who beat him? That's my own. Who beat

counting Wells here to please show us the CCTV footage. Let's have a full season footage. We've not been able to

see anything for that. I ordered I called for when I was making my you know uh my depositions here a full

independent investigation without the police without the

DSS because when you say the DSS are taking this up and all of that they are already part of this case I want

something devoid of them I know there are security agencies but something devoid of them and now you have seen a

quick rebuttal that hey this is intimidation somebody could write something through the page except we

have a full on deposition from the man that was beating himself. I will not believe any apology that was written.

You see it just shows highendedness in this country. We must be able to get to the end of the matter. And why is NAS

featuring permanently in the affairs of politics that shows that Nigeria is already being bastardized? If you're

supposed to be a student union to fight for the right of bodies, see if politicians wants to do politics in the

university level, they should set up APC youth wing in universities like they do in other parts, they should set up PDP

youth wing in universities. So we I mean the conservative party in England has a youth wing in Oxford. Most of the people

that eventually become prime ministers, they were they were members of the conservative party from university days.

Let us leave independent associations away from politics because all of this is connected to 2027. So except we have

an independently verified case here apart from the security agencies they will not move further. But it is sad

that now we have brought this enos and dirty policy we play into n and student affairs. Unnecessary that's just it.

Well we want to know who beats comrade issa that really is what it is and we want to see him in public. We'll take

another story now. Finally, supporters of activist Martins Osher, also known as very dark man, are celebrating after the

activist was released from the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission after being held for 5 days.

The FCC said VDM was arrested due to multiple petitions alleging financial crimes and that he had previously failed

to honor invitations for questioning. Well, here is the moment. Some protesters who took to the streets to

demand for his release heard that he had been released. Let's take a look. [Applause]

Well, all right. Good news there for the supporters of VDF. They're called the Rattels, just so you know. Do you Did

you know that? Yeah, I left this yesterday. You left it? Yes, they called the Rattels. Yeah. Well, it's good that,

you know, the EFCC has listened and, you know, they have released him and we're, you know, we'll follow up on the story

and, you know, yesterday we were having that conversation about how, you know, horrible it is for the EFCC to have

detained him without releasing a statement. They released him at this moment. Your your comment. I I think one

of the major things that sticks out to me is sort of the culture of catch and release that we've developed. And so

because of that, I'll say I think it's very important for us to be able to see this case reach its logical end because

whether it be VDM or any other personality, there are so many cases sort of lingering in the AFC in the EFCC

where we see that people are arrested, they are detained and so forth. They are questioned and then we never hear about

it again or it resurfaces much later. So the catch and release for me, I would urge the EFCC, please continue to carry

us along in these cases and in your investigations so that it doesn't seem as though you catch people and then

okay, once they released the docket just stays in a corner somewhere. Then uh the other thing is that so he's released on

his lawyer says there's no conditions to his bail. However, his car and his phone are still with the EFCC. And they also

made special mention to Feifalan and said despite all that has happened between them in the past, he they he

said to have also made some appeals um to the to EFCC as well. So I think that was very magnanimous of him. And last

but not least, Deja Deanu made a comment because you know there was conversation around the fact that this felt like a

red herring. it felt like a distraction to just take Nigerian youth's attention away from the issues that matter and

keep them busy with something. Well, the lawyer has come out to say that well that's not the case. Anyway, he's out

now. So, those who want to save Nigeria should go on and do so. But I think you can't blame people for also having these

sentiments because sometime we've seen all sorts over the past few years. But, you know, happy he's home. You wanted to

make a comment. You see, the truth has to be said. I think we need to drum it into some people's heads. This matter is

not about VDM. No, it really hasn't been. It's about the high-endedness in Nigeria that all of us can be a victim

to one day. My boss that I cherish so much pruda will always tell the story of

Francoa. Yeah. When was riding rot shoulder everywhere. He had the power then was jailing a lot

of media people. But when needed help that say system that supported to commit atrocities that system came for a mea

all right pretty much reminds me of father neola first they

came you know for some people I didn't speak up for them when it was time to speak when they came for me nobody was

left to speak and that's why I salute Mhm. I mean, he did what a lot of people cannot do. Speak up. All right. Just say

it the way it is. Until this date, we are still waiting on the EFCC. Mhm. To please bring out those charges because

we want accountability across board. Yes. Yes. A lot of people claim he said there's corruption in yesterday. I

posted a picture as the days of Magu. Magu said that they bad eggs in the EFCC. They've always made allegations of

bad eggs here and there. What we are saying is EFCC please detail whatever you have on him what the petitioners

wrote let us japose what is available. What we are just saying is whatever the petitioners wrote did they want you to

come and gestapically take somebody away that way because what will happen is that one of a sudden they

will just come and pick somebody maybe we be alive they will just come pick somebody. Oh god forbid. No no no you're

saying well like you said you're saying god forbid. Like you said yes. God forbid. Like you said, who would have

thought that in a democracy this will be happening? Well, don't say God forbid. Speak against evil. Fight it. It's been

going on. Fight it. I said yesterday that the current EFCC chairman did say that there are bad eggs within the uh

EFCC as well. But you know, like you said, they seize VDM's phone. We are waiting for content. We are waiting to

hear what really happened, what happened to him in in in uh the ESC custody, what he did. We're waiting for the charges

from the EFCC. Well, kudos to Femi Fallon as well and great that VDM is back. We'll take another story now. The

2023 Labor Party presidential candidate Peter Obin has responded to Lagos State Governor Babajid Sulu's criticism of his

remarks about Nigeria at St. John's Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. Sulu had criticized Pete's

remarks about the country's worsling state, arguing that such criticisms tarnish Nigeria's image abroad. While

Peter Obi defended his statements during the day of tribute in honor of the late Edwin Clark in Abuja on Wednesday,

citing statistics from the World Bank and UNICEF, highlighting the high poverty rate in rural Nigeria and the

large number of malnourished children. He also questioned whether speaking the truth constituted demarketing the

country. Let's take a look. We're in this country when people are protesting when there was no

need to protest under Jonathan. Where are those protesters? Have they died?

Where are they? So why are we saying we should not be invas from 87 naira to 120 and people

were protesting in this country and when it was 900 they were not protesting. Are they there?

So why are we saying it should not be in people protested when 180 and when it not protesting are they dead?

So when I just say it should not inven I I spoke a few days ago and people said I'm demarketing Nigeria when

is truth being demarketed one bank have just shown that 75% of Nigerians in rural areas that poor is one bank

marketing Nigeria unis two days ago released that Nigeria now have over 2 million

malnourished children the second highest in the world are they demanding Nigeria? Let's face the reality. Their labor is

in vain. We have a country now that is not democratic. We are not a democratic

country. Let's tell ourselves the truth. All right, Dr. Before I come to you in the meantime, former vice president

Atiku Abuaka has reacted to the federal government's approval of the Nigeria First Economic Policy, which bans the

use of foreign goods and prioritizes locallymade products and services in government procurement. In a statement

released on Wednesday by his special assistant on public communication, Frank Schwa, Atiku challenged President Ba

Ahmed Tinibu to lead by example, starting by trading his escalade for a Nigerianmade vehicle like innocent

honored. Frank Shaiu wrote in part, "We challenge President Tinubu to stop the noise and trading his beloved Escalade

for an innocent Nord or any made in Nigeria car." That single act will do more to promote local industry than a

thousand policy memos. Let's see the minister's those shameless Rolls-Royce connoisseurs sweat it out in Nigeria

made vehicles too. or is Nigeria first only for the masses? And speaking of double standards, it's time Mr.

President shells his love affair with Paris and London. If he's serious about patriotism, his next vacation should be

at Obudu Cat Ranch, Yanari Game Reserve or Aring Jes Nigeria is beautiful. Unless of

course the president thinks otherwise. More importantly, the era of jetting off for medical tourism while preaching

self-reliance must end. We demand that President Tinubu, Champion of Nigeria First conduct all future medical

checkups at Luth National Hospital Abuja Uch Ibadon or even the 41 billion naira aqua bomb worldclass hospital by

uncommon transformer in UO. If those hospitals are good enough for ordinary Nigerians, they should be good enough

for their commanderin-chief. Anything less is sheer hypocrisy. This government's addiction to foreign

luxuries while demanding sacrifice from suffering Nigerians is the height of insincerity. True leadership isn't photo

ops or sound bites. It's setting the tone by example. Nigeria deserves real commitment, not this neverending

charade. Frank Shaiu, you know, I always enjoy Frank Shibu's piece. He has a way with words but most of the things he

said in his tweet we have discussed them at length on this table Dr. Nigeria first policy demarketing Nigeria

by Peter Ali those two stories what Adamu Abuaka said in that statement issued by Frank Shibu I don't think you

can argue with anything that he has said leadership by example I mean you can't argue with that if the president says

Nigeria first let him show the example that that's simply what he's saying if you want to go on vacation show, go to

Ubud Ranch, go to Yankari Game Reserve. If you need to go to hospital, go to the hospitals in Nigeria. Maybe that will

lead to the transformation of those uh hospitals, you know, some of which have become uh uh muaries,

you know, and uh the leaders don't want to go there. And then, you know, vehicles, there are local manufacturers

of vehicles, innocent innocent. Yes. Are are we supporting innocent enough? We have one or two governors that ride

innocent vehicles. Maybe even at the federal government level, we should have that. The Pojo company of

Nigeria in those days, I think it was the Obas government in his first coming as military head of state that said,

"Look, you the official car should be Pujo and that was to help the factory in Kaduna." Yes. and everybody the the

biggest car you could ride as a government official was Pojo 505 they call it right okay later

there was 605 there was 405 okay I won't 504 504 504 okay that was the one I used I I had that at the time as official car

the guardian so you can't argue with that quickly Mr. Peter there's nothing Mr. Peter has said he

went to John Hawkins University and he said poverty rate in Nigeria was over 40%. And that you know government must

focus on poverty. After he spoke I think it was the World Bank that came up and said in fact rural poverty in Nigeria is

over 75%. That's it. Mr. Pin said there are two million

malnourished children. In fact, UNICEF came and said that Nigeria has the most malnourished [ __ ] children, you know, in

terms of the listening in the world. So, you know, these are facts. Yes. These are truths. Yes. Absolutely. And I I

said at the time you first brought this story that I was surprised that Governor Sonulu, you know, will be arguing that

people should not criticize Nigeria. It's very unusual for him to engage in altercation with any other political

figure. But the truth is the truth and what Mr. Obi said has even been confirmed by World Bank, by IMF, by

UNICEF. Right. So where is his offense? Well, where is his offense? We must always speak truth to power. I wish you

had time for our good news report. I'll bring that tomorrow. I'd like to thank you all for your great analysis as

always on what's trending. Well, that's all I have for you guys on what's trending today. I'll see you all

tomorrow. [Music]