Dana Air Crash: Group Wants Airline Banned

Dana Air Crash: Group Wants Airline Banned, Threatens Court Action

SHOCKED by the latest claim of Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) that the operational license of Dana Airline has not been withdrawn, a civil society group, the Niger Delta Indigenous Movement for Radical Change (NDIMRC) has called on President Goodluck Jonathan's Administration to ban the airline from operating in the country.

According to the group, the Sunday air crash was a ''clear genocide that must not repeat itself in Nigeria again. To therefore, drive this point home, we want the Federal Government to ban Dana Airline, and take tough action with airlines in the country operating with flying coffins''.

In an online statement to AkanimoReports on Friday, Nelly Emma, President of the group, John Sailor, the Scribe, and Mukoro Stanley, the Publicity Secretary, condemned the Lagos plane crash, insisting that government should ban the airline.

"We are saddened by the plane crash in which our country lose 169 souls. This is one crash too many. Our petroleum industry was robbed of Dr Levi Ajuonuma, the Group Corporate Affairs General Manager of Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), and other promising Nigerians. Our heart-felt condolences for families of victims of the Dana Airline genocide'', the group said.

Continuing, they said, ''airline operators should stop causing the death of innocent Nigerians and other air travelers. Enough is enough. Nigeria cannot afford another air disaster, and as such, we are calling on the President Jonathan, to act fast as we do not know who will be the next victim of plane crash in the country''.

''Apart from a full investigation into the sad incident, government should take immediate steps to terminate the operation of Dana Airline before it terminates more lives as it has brought untold hardship, tears, pains and sorrows to many homes and this should not be allowed to repeat itself again.

''Never again, must this genocide happen to us. The airline must not be allowed to operate again in Nigeria . Our demand from government is a simple one, but if it is not met, we will mobilize thousands of youths across the country to storm major international airports in the country for a mass protest against Dana Airline. We will also go to court to restrain the airline from operating in the country. Enough of using Nigerians as a dumping ground for out-dated planes'', the group added.

''Our findings have shown that the doomed aircraft first flew 22 years ago, Dana bought it in 2009, the aircraft was old to fly, yet Dana Airline allowed it to continue to operate. Now, it has killed innocent souls. This genocide is unacceptable and government must ban the airline. What happened on that black Sunday was a clear genocide.

''Last May 10, the same aircraft with 85 passengers from Uyo to Lagos, made an emergency landing at the international runway, known as 19 Right, of the Murtala Muhammad International Airport, Lagos, owing to loss of hydraulic. We understand that Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State, recently warned the Managing Director of the airline on the need to ensure its aircrafts are air worthy'', they said.

It added that; “And then came the final straw. On June 3, 2012, the same MD-83 with Registration number 5N-RAM was performing a flight 9T-1993 from Lagos

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