Aviation
Dana crash: Journalist battered for allegedly taking photographs of corpses
A Photo Journalist with Leadership Newspaper, Mr. Benedict Uwalaka was yesterday battered by some of the Mortuary attendant of the Tos Funeral Services Limited for attempting to take photographs of the corpses of the ill-fated Dana plane crash at the Lagos State Teaching Hospital LASUTH.
By Oyise Oghene
A Photo Journalist with Leadership Newspaper, Mr. Benedict Uwalaka was yesterday battered by some of the Mortuary attendant of the Tos Funeral Services Limited for attempting to take photographs of the corpses of the ill-fated Dana plane crash at the Lagos State Teaching Hospital LASUTH.
Vanguard was at LASUTH gathered that the journalist, Mr. Uwalaka was bleeding profusely after been smatched with an iron rod on his head when the mortuary attendants and one of the uniform men, security personnel known as Neighbourhood kept on beating him.
Vanguard learnt that another journalist with ThisDay Newspaper, Mr. Kola Olasupo who witnessed the incident said that the battered journalist, Mr. Benedict did not even take any photograph at all but he was surprised when the mortuary attendants bounds on him and started beating him up.
According to him,”When I got to this place, I met some of my colleagues so we were all taking photographs, I even went as far as going behind the gate to take some photographs so as we were waiting now thinking that they were going to bring out the corps maybe in batches or whatever, so as were waiting, we waited for almost two or three hours, we couldn’t see anything so that was how I said that something might be going wrong, let me just move round so as I went round, I saw some of the camera men from the electronic media everybody positioned, the were standing over there, so I went at the back of the generator there, I saw them preparing ambulance about to take one of the corps out so I went at the back of that generator to take a shot.
So when I got there, I was about taking that photograph, one of them came to me and said that I should take any photograph there that if I take any photograph that he will seize my photograph so I know asked him why or how can you seize my camera for what, he now said that it is not allowed that I should take any photograph then I said ok if that be the case that was what you should have told me don’t take photograph but for you to tell me that you will seize my camera I cannot agree with you then I moved out of that place, the guy that was injured, the one with Leadership Newspaper, I saw him we were together so he saw me coming out, I said Bendict don’t take any photograph these people said that we should not take any photograph and the guy obliged and we turned back and as the guy was turning back, he turned back as he was following me so somebody now came from behind him and slap him and started beating him.
Iit was later one Bayo, the woman the head of this mortuary I don’t know her name so that woman went in and called Bayo and Bayo came out with a big iron rod and snatch it on the head of Benedict so as we were trying to seperate them, they were fighting, they seized my camera, they even damage my camera but I was able to hold that guy, I collected my camera so a uniform man, Neighbourhood, it was that guy that even caused the problem, Ibrahim by name so the guy held on to Bendict he couldn’t allow him to move so that was where they were all beating Benedict so Bayo went inside then somebody else by name Idowu, he is one of the ambulance driver so the guy came and said why should you be taking photograph and all that in fact at that time you need to see how they disorganised face with blood everything so the guy now said how can you be taking photograph that was how they started argument again, Idowu again now run round and he went and look for a bottle and he broke it on Benedict’s head and after that he was looking round again so he was able to carry one big block, he was about heating it on Benedict’s head that was how we all started fighting back in fact we turned this place to another thing so if not for the intervention of some of our colleagues by now Benedict would have been dead”
Mr. Olasupo however stressed that he wonders why journalists in Nigeria were been treated with disdain even up to the point that they were been beaten up that people or security personnels adding that such was not the case in the western world.
He said”I don’t know what is even battered because all I can say is that our orientation in this country is very low, we do watch television everyday all these foreign reports and films, if there is serious crisis if you see the was security men will just move in together with the journalists everybody will be doing their job but it os a different thing entirely so in fact I don’t know what to say but what we are hearing is that because we put a call through to the commissioner I know don’t know, I cannot confirm it and what they were saying was that we should leave this place that after all we were not allowed to cover this event I don’t know how far but this is what they said that the commissioner said”
At as the time of filling this report, the journalist that was battered was ordered by the Chief Medical Director of LASUTH, Mr. David Adewale Okewale to be admitted by the hospital so that he could be taken proper medical care of.
Emirates Airlines has announced plan to resume flight operations to Nigerian airports on October 1, 2024, after a two-year hiatus.
The news was shared by the airline on its verified X handle on Thursday.
It stated, “We’re back Nigeria! We’ll be resuming services to Lagos from 1 October 2024, and we can’t wait to offer unrivalled connectivity to Dubai and beyond to over 140 cities.”
The development was hinted at earlier by Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN.
In a post on X on Wednesday, Keyamo disclosed that he met with the Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to Nigeria, Salem Saeed Al-Shamsi, in Abuja on Tuesday.
He stated that during the meeting, Al-Shamsi handed him a correspondence from Emirates Airlines confirming the flight resumption date.
The Minister wrote “Yesterday (On Tuesday), I paid a working visit to the Ambassador of the UAE to Nigeria, His Excellency, Salem Saeed Al-Shamsi at the UAE Embassy in Abuja.
“He handed me a correspondence from the Emirates Airline indicating a definite date of their resumption of flights to Nigeria. That date will be formally announced by Emirates Airlines in a matter of days.”
The announcement signifies another step taken by the Nigerian government to reinstate flight operations between Nigeria and the UAE.
In November 2023, Minister Keyamo had announced that Emirates Airlines would soon disclose the exact date of their return to Nigerian skies.
The flight suspension between the two nations had been amidst a broader diplomatic dispute, primarily concerning the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA).
Visa restrictions further exacerbated the situation, impacting numerous Nigerian migrants and tourists, given the UAE’s popularity as a destination.
Recall that Emirates Airlines suspended its flights to Nigeria in 2022 due to challenges in repatriating funds trapped in the country.
Despite a meeting in September 2023 between Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu and UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi, where there were rumors that the UAE had lifted its visa ban on Nigerian travelers, the ban still stands.
Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga later clarified that the UAE had not lifted the visa restrictions on Nigerians.
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has taken action by suspending the permits of three private jet operators due to their involvement in commercial flights.
Chris Najomo, the Acting Director General of the NCAA, issued this suspension during a briefing to all airlines on Tuesday.
Additionally, Najomo ordered a re-evaluation of all PNCF permits within a 72-hour timeframe.
The head of the NCAA stated that Festus Keyamo, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, had instructed the discontinuation of private jets’ commercial use in 2023.
Despite this directive, the operators persisted in their commercial activities.
Najomo said “Subsequently, in March 2024, the NCAA had issued a stern warning to holders of the permit for non commercial flights, PNCF, against engaging in the carriage of passenger cargo or mail for hire and reward.
“The Authority had also deployed its officials to monitor activities of private jets at terminals across the airports in Nigeria.
“As a consequence of this heightened surveillance, no fewer than three private operators have been found to be involved in violation of the annexure provision of their PNCF and Part 9114 of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations 2023.
“In line with our zero tolerance for violation of regulations, the Authority has suspended the PNCF of these operators.”
Minister Festus Keyamo has urged the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology in Zaria, Kaduna State, to create new solutions that can speed up the training of skilled air traffic controllers.
This call comes as Africa anticipates a need for 4,203 new air traffic controllers by the year 2037.
The minister made this statement on Wednesday during the 34th IFATAC Africa and Middle East Regional meeting in Abuja.
Addressing the gathering, the minister noted that the goal of training 4,203 new air traffic controllers aligns with the projection from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
He further affirmed the ministry’s commitment to offering full support to NCAT, ensuring it not only meets but surpasses its mandated duties and roles.
He said “ICAO projects that by the year 2037, Africa will require 4,203 new air traffic controllers. The onus rests on the Aviation College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) to develop innovative ideas solutions to accelerate the training of new and proficient air traffic controllers.
The minister, represented by acting director Michael Chiko from Air Safety and Administration, highlighted the rapid evolution of the air traffic control profession.
He stated “The profession of air traffic control has evolved rapidly, transitioning from simple flag signalling to sophisticated technologies. This evolution facilitates management of the surging number of aircraft traversing our
skies daily.
“As a vital, indispensable component of air safety, air traffic controllers are responsible for the safe, orderly and expeditious flow of air traffic. Therefore, I am not unaware of the critical role you play and invariably, the heavy burden you bear.
“This burden is compounded by increased air traffic, workforce shortages, technological shifts; necessitating rigorous training regimes.
“More so, with the emergence of unmanned aerial vehicles, reshaping dynamics and challenging the norm, it is thus paramount to prepare for the future and indeed Nigeria like other countries must prepare for the future.” he added
During the event, Mr. Lawrence Pwajok, representing Engr. Mohammed Odunowo, the managing director of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), emphasized the relevance of the 34th IFATCA Africa and Middle East Regional meeting’s theme, titled ‘Shaping the Future: Trends and Insights On ATC Training for Tomorrow’.
Pwajok highlighted the significance of this theme, especially as air traffic control commemorates 100 years since its inception.
He suggested examining the historical perspective of air traffic control, tracing its origins from Croydon airport a century ago to its present form in modern airports like Dubai, Istanbul, JFK, Charles De Gaulle, among others.
This historical comparison aims to provide insights into the potential trajectory of the future air traffic control system over the next century.
He added “It is obvious that the future air traffic management system will be characterised by extensive application of automation, digitization and artificial intelligence.”
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