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Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, (SAN) has accused the Federal Government of discriminatory treatment to the families of the victims of the December 16 air crash in Bayelsa State.
Former National Security Adviser, Gen. Andrew Azazi, Kaduna State Governor Patrick Yakowa and four others died in the crash.
The Senior Advocate of Nigeria in a statement on Thursday said the Federal Government had, since the incident, given the impression that only Yakowa and Azazi, died in the accident.
He, therefore, urged the Federal Government to pay condolences to the other families who had “complained of official neglect” by the government.
Falana said, “As Nigerians continue to sympathise with the families of the all the deceased persons, the Federal Government should, without further delay, send a team of officials to pay condolence visits to the families of the two pilots and aides of Gen. Azazi and Governor Yakowa who were killed in the ill-fated chopper.
“And in line with the Public Service Rules, the Federal Government should bear the costs of the burial, including the publication of obituary for the deceased pilots and aides.
“Most importantly, there should be payment of adequate compensation to their families by the Federal Government which authorised the conversion of the military helicopter to an air taxi to airlift participants to a private burial ceremony.
“Since there is equality before the law, the government should stop giving the impression that the lives of certain Nigerians are more precious than those of others.”
He recalled that the Federal Government’s discriminatory treatment followed an earlier one after a plane crash involving Taraba State Governor Danbaba Santai and his aides.
He noted that while the governor was transferred first to the National Hospital, Abuja and later to Germany, his aides were left in the local hospital in Yola, Adamawa State.
Falana added, “Not until I threatened to sue the Taraba State Government for the discriminatory treatment meted out to the governor’s aides, were they flown abroad for urgent medical treatment.”
Yakowa, Azazi and others were returning to Port Harcourt after they attended the funeral of Tamunoobebara Douglas, the father of the Presidential Adviser on Research, Documentation and Strategy, Oronto Douglas, when the incident happened.
Mr. Femi, you can as well ask the government to start paying condolences to all who lose their lives on a daily basis by road, water, rail or air, since every Nigerian is important! The impression you're giving now is that people who lose their lives by air crash are more important than the hundreds that lose their lives through road mishaps. If the government start paying condolences to all, then I bet there will be nothing left for it to do.
ReplyDeleteAll animals are equal, but some are more equal than others. Let the families just commit all to God who gives and take when He pleases. May God concole the other families
ReplyDelete