An aviation expert, Dr Yakubu Dazhia, has told a Lagos High Court in Igbosere that an aircraft flew “very close” to a Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN) building soon before it collapsed on September 12, 2014, killing 116 people.

Dazhia, who introduced himself as an aircraft engineer, aviation consultant and airline operator, said the plane had been identified as a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Hercules C130 training aircraft.

He told Justice Lateef Lawal-Akapo that the plane was captured on Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) flying well below the 1000ft flight altitude recommended by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

Dazhia spoke during continuation of trial of four defendants – two engineers and their firms – for the building collapse deaths. The defendants are: Oladele Ogundeji and Akinbela Fatiregun charged alongside their companies – Hardrock Construction and Engineering Company and Jandy Trust Ltd.

They are facing a 110-count charge of involuntary manslaughter said to contravene Section 222 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

At the resumed hearing of the matter on Friday 25th January 2019, Dazhia was led in evidence by Olalekan Ojo, counsel for the Registered Trustees of SCOAN.

The witness told the court that the ICAO recommended safe altitude for flight in a congested area such as Ikotun Egbe, where the collapsed SCOAN building was located, is 1,000ft.

“No aircraft, except for takeoff and landing, should fly over a congested area at a minimum of 1,000 feet or 300 metres between the aircraft and the highest obstacle in a congested area. Meaning that the distance between the aircraft and the tallest building in that area should not be less than 1,000ft,” he said.

Dazhia, an elders’ council member of Winners Chapel but who worshipped at SCOAN whenever he visited Lagos in the last 10 years, said he was in Abuja when the building collapsed but that he flew to Lagos and the next day (September 13), alongside a Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Aviation, and assisted in the operation to rescue people that were trapped.

“On the 14th, a Sunday, we were shown the CCTV footage (of the incident). The camera was at Gate 5 of SCOAN. The distance from Gate 5 to the building was less than 500 metres.”

The witness told the judge that the CCTV’s vertical view could “not go beyond 200 metres.”
“We discovered that that this aircraft flew very close to the building. If it was flying according to regulations, the CCTV wouldn’t have captured it.”

He said he and several church members, including six or seven pilots, were told the plane was an Air Force aircraft and it was for training.

“They mentioned that training with aircraft was to be only done in Ilorin, which has the longest runway in the federation. Why were they training in Lagos?” he wondered.

When Ojo asked for his observation about the incident, Dazhia posed a question for the pilot of the aircraft. He said: “As a professional, I insist that only the pilot knows why he was flying at a low altitude. That is all I have to say.”

But under cross examination by Deputy Directors of Public Prosecution (DPP), Dr. Babajide Martins, Dazhia agreed that although he had an engineering degree, his Ph.D “has nothing to do with aircraft engineering.”

He also noted that he was not an aircraft traffic controller, a bomb expert or accident investigator. Neither did he lodge any complaint about the incident to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Organisation (NCAO).

Following the conclusion of cross-examination, Justice Lawal-Akapo adjourned further proceedings till March.

SOURCE: The Nation Newspaper, Nigeria - http://thenationonlineng.net/air-force-plane-flew-close-collapsed-synagogue-building-expert/

"No matter how long a lie is sustained, the truth will someday prevail." - T.B. Joshua

Anyone whose watched the video of that incident will know the circumstances surrounding it were not ordinary. I am no 'expert' but the manner and speed in which the building fell looked like a controlled demolition. The closeness of the plane is another genuine cause for concern.

I hope the court can finally get to the bottom of this. After all, September will make it five years since the incident happened!

NB - this documentary from a South African channel regarding the incident is also well worth a watch:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMTvgIKaOBI

When Ojo asked for his observation about the incident, Dazhia posed a question for the pilot of the aircraft. He said: “As a professional, I insist that only the pilot knows why he was flying at a low altitude. That is all I have to say.”

But under cross examination by Deputy Directors of Public Prosecution (DPP), Dr. Babajide Martins, Dazhia agreed that although he had an engineering degree, his Ph.D “has nothing to do with aircraft engineering.”

He also noted that he was not an aircraft traffic controller, a bomb expert or accident investigator. Neither did he lodge any complaint about the incident to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Organisation (NCAO).

I no fit laff!
Some expert witness this is.

Say no to #AtikulooterCONtinua
Say no to #Lootocrats
Say no to #DefyingBuildingRegulations
Say no to #BuildingWithoutPlanningApproval

J8520456:
"No matter how long a lie is sustained, the truth will someday prevail." - T.B. Joshua

Anyone whose watched the video of that incident will know the circumstances surrounding it were not ordinary. I am no 'expert' but the manner and speed in which the building fell looked like a controlled demolition. The closeness of the plane is another genuine cause for concern.

I hope the court can finally get to the bottom of this. After all, September will make it five years since the incident happened!

NB - this documentary from a South African channel regarding the incident is also well worth a watch:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMTvgIKaOBI

^^^You can continue deluding yourself and other T.B Joshua adherents.
You think we are all beholden to inverted logic?

Meanwhile, the so-called aviation expert (Engineer Yakubu Dazhia) has some form for chicanery and subterfuge.

His name is Engineer Yakubu Dazhia. Jim said Dazhia was his contact man in Nigeria. Dazhia made us to believe that was the owner of the company in America.He said we should make available $460,000 as the cost for one engine. We consequently make available to Dazhia $460,000. After paying the said amount, we thought the engine would be brought to us within a week or two at most, but one month of waiting rolled over to two years since February, 2008 and up till date, we are yet to take delivery of the engine from Dazhia. After paying the money, this man did not show up from February till August,2008. We later got him on phone. He told me that he was not in the country and that he was in the United States of America(USA) for an eye surgery and I told him that since that was the place the engine was to be procured, ‘O.K let me come down to meet you’. He said I should come and he gave me his contact phone number I America. On getting there, I put a call through to him, this man refused to pick my call. Meanwhile, I did not have any other contact there except that of his accomplice-Captain Jim who I was able to locate in August,2008 who revealed to me that Engineer Yakubu Dazhia did not pay a dime to him for the engine procurement. Then, Captain Jim said if I can provide another $140,000, he would get me an engine. Again, I gave him the money in addition to another $50,000.Upon all, no engine was provided and neither was a refund made. In fact, this was the height of our problems and the consequent suspension of our operations in 2008. My Chairman was unhappy with the development and he said we should opt out of the airline business.

Source: https://nigerianaviationnews-news..com/2010/05/winners-chapel-deacon-dupes-spaceworld.html

No be Nigeria again?