CHUKUBA, Nigeria – A Nigerian Air Force, NAF, MI-171 Helicopter, tasked with a casualty evacuation mission, met with tragedy on Monday, August 14, 2023, when it crashed near Chukuba Village in Niger State.
The incident, which occurred around 1 pm, has raised concerns over the safety of NAF operations.
Edward Gabkwet, the NAF spokesperson, confirmed the crash in a press release on Monday, August 14, 2023.
However, details regarding the number of individuals onboard or their conditions remain undisclosed.
He stated, “The helicopter had taken off from Zungeru Primary School, aiming for Kaduna. Unfortunately, it crashed near Chukuba Village within the boundaries of Shiroro Local Government Area in Niger State.”
There’s an active effort to rescue any survivors. “Teams are currently at the crash site, working diligently to rescue the crew and any passengers on the helicopter. Preliminary investigations have been initiated to ascertain the possible cause of the mishap,” Gabkwet added.
This isn’t the first air tragedy that the state has witnessed this year. On February 22, 2021, a heart-wrenching incident occurred when seven NAF personnel, traveling from Abuja to Minna, the capital city of Niger State, lost their lives.
Their aircraft crashed shortly after departing from the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport in Abuja.
Such repeated incidents highlight the need for rigorous reviews of Nigeria’s aviation sector’s operational standards, training, and maintenance protocols.
Tragic Tuesday: Female Doctor, Vwaere Diaso, Killed in Elevator Crash at Lagos General Hospital
Tragedy struck the General Hospital, Odan, Lagos Island on Tuesday, August 1, 2023, when an elevator crash claimed the life of a promising young medical doctor, Dr Vwaere Diaso.
According to an investigation, the fatal accident occurred when the hospital elevator crashed from the 10th floor to the ground floor.
Dr Diaso, who was inside the elevator at the time, was immediately rushed to the hospital’s emergency ward but succumbed to her injuries.
A colleague of the late Dr Diaso, speaking anonymously, revealed to The Trent that the elevator had been plagued with problems for quite some time.
“On multiple occasions, the elevator has stopped while we were inside. And there’s no maintenance,” he disclosed.
He further explained that the hospital management had been informed about the poor state of the elevator but had neglected to take appropriate action.
“We report every time. The elevator is supposed to carry 630kg maximum; that’s eight people,” he said, adding that the staff had even started limiting the number of passengers in the elevator to avoid congestion. “Once you open the elevator and see two people already, you must wait for the next batch.”
“It was faulty, and they knew about it. That’s why we’re not going to take this,” he passionately stated.
The tragedy is further underscored by the fact that Dr Diaso had just two weeks left to the completion of her horsemanship at the hospital.
Her colleagues remember her as a “diligent house officer” and praised her as “very hardworking.”
The shocking incident has left the hospital staff and patients in a state of grief and disbelief. The tragic loss of a young, dedicated medical professional has raised serious questions about the state of infrastructure and safety protocols in healthcare facilities nationwide.
This incident is likely to provoke renewed scrutiny of maintenance and safety standards in public buildings, particularly hospitals, where people’s lives are at stake.
As this tragic event has shown, the failure to ensure proper maintenance of essential facilities such as elevators could have dire consequences.
The hospital administration has yet to make an official statement on the matter. As the community mourns the loss of Dr Diaso, many are demanding accountability and an assurance that such a preventable tragedy will not happen again.
Family, friends, and colleagues are left to remember Dr Diaso for her dedication and commitment to her profession, even as they grapple with the painful reality of a life cut short by an entirely preventable accident. Her death serves as a stark reminder of the importance of adhering to safety regulations and the potential cost of negligence.
