Like a scene in a movie, the events of June 3rd 2012 is not one I can ever forget in a hurry. It was 3.56pm and everyone had formed clusters around available TV set in preparation to watch the Nigerian National Football team play their Namibian counterpart in Calabar, a home match for the Eagles. Then came a loud scream from the grocery shop across my house, it was the owner shouting “Ki le leyi?” in Yoruba which by interpretation is “what is this?”

Such yell would arrest anyone, it was certainly an alarm! We all trooped out, since the match had not started, a little amusement could spice up a bright Sunday afternoon. Noone could guess what was behind such a distress shrill.

Getting outside, the feeling was of shock as well as amazement – an aircraft flying so close to the house roof? This must be a movie stunt, I thought at the time.

Haven always had a desire to understand the rudiments of movie-making; I thought it best to search for a camera so I could capture this rare spectacle. Some Nollywood stars must be behind this first-ever, real-live video shoot, I must fast locate the camera crew of this movie-in-the-making, I thought.

Then, it occurred to me that this massive object, with the inscription “DANA Airlines”  and as huge as the 3 storey building nearby can in no way be a stunt prop. Too close, the scene too real, too dangerous to be one.

Then poured comments and several questions – “What is the pilot doing?” “Is this a joke?” “This is in no way funny?” came in different languages and from different lips already aghast by the sight of the big bird hovering side to side, up and down. My cousin and I glanced at one another, and then it dawned on us that it was no joke afterall.

Little did we know that the pilot was in his moment of helplessness, confusion, anguish and last-minute attempt to save not just himself, but other one hundred and sixty souls (or thereabout) entrusted into his care just 45 minutes ago in Abuja.

Right at that moment the obviously-distressed aircraft took a sharp plunge straight ahead into a building occupied by a church (Redeemed Christian Church of God) sweeping though a newly constructed but yet-to-be-occupied residential building! Boom! It was a deafening sound. We – my neighbourhood was hit by a sad reality!

Those of us who had thronged out at first ran towards the crashed plane, and many were astounded by the loud sound, not knowing what the cause was.  We only could point in the direction,  a few of us could mutter “plane”, “ fly” “crash” or any other thing to communicate the horror, the thoughts in most minds was apparently running at a faster pace than words could express. The shock was indescribable!

In a moment, we got close enough but could not see much at first because of the smoke from the plane. A climb up the fence of a building nearby gave a view of the crashed plane.

Some others ran towards a 3-storey building which had a hit from the shredded wing of the plane. That was the house that the family who fell victim lived; they were reportedly seated, ready to watch the football match my entire neighbourhood ended up not watching.

As if in a flash, a fire started in a part of the building. Then came a man shouting from the balcony of the third floor, “What happened?” The yells of “plane!” “fire!” “jump!” from us all saw the man disappeared inside the house, to the bewilderment of everyone. However, he emerged few seconds later with a young child (his child), jumped down with the child wrapped and clutched to his body. As we later found out, the staircase was already crushed by the impact of the crash. I had believed and prided my father the best, but I must confess, I saw the great father in this man.

He landed alive but with a dislocated arm. We could only scream from a distance “Come out”, “Come out”; we were all too scared to go drag him out of the premises for fear another explosion or of the building collapsing. It took him about 3 minutes to get up, as he struggled out through the gate to the waiting arms of those of us who had alerted him.

We were interested in anyone still left in the building;  we asked, he could only mutter that his brother-in-law was in one of the rooms, fast asleep while he and his child were waiting for the other members of his family to come back from church. The agony of this moment was beyond words as we knew we could not risk going into the building to help the brother-in-law or anyone left.

Many residents of Iju have by now summoned the sense and courage to make calls continuously to media houses. Every known SOS agencies were contacted and bombarded with calls for help.

By now, the time was 4.30pm. Scores have gathered from everywhere around to catch a glimpse of what was going on.  Many living on Olaniyi Street and all around it started evacuating few valuables – TV sets, mattresses, chairs – in fear of an eventual fire to their homes. Generating sets were top priorities for most, as this was thought, and wisely so, a great aid to any inferno.

We could only wait for fire-fighters and rescue teams. The policemen from the nearest police station, Adeshola station came but could not do much. Indeed, no one knew what to do! We tried to break the windows of the burning storey building by throwing stones to allow for space for anyone who might be trapped and searching for a way of escape but none came out.

People started praying in their different religious faiths and tongues. A great many were in agonising tears. I was in tears. Old men with gray hairs were in tears, crying like babies. I have never seen such emotionally-rending scene, never!

There were those who wanted to have a share of the loot but those of those who got to the scene earlier prevented them to the best of our capacity.

The first set of fire-fighters came 40 minutes after the crash to the elation of us all. At least, all the houses would not be razed by this fire, as we all initially envisaged! We were ready to help and we encouraged the safety men so.

Despite the efforts of the fire-fighters, it was clear to us that with the raging fire, from the crashed aircraft or the buildings affected, it would be a miracle for any of the trapped occupants to make it through. The smoke from the airplane has now become a huge raging fireball! No one could go near, the heat was intense. We only could stare helplessly from a distance.

The first fire fighting crew did very well, and by the time they ran out of water, other trucks came. It was 5.40p.m.

Two helicopters were hovering, one belonging to Governor Fashola of the Lagos State (or so I thought) and another of the Nigeria Air Force which could not find a space to land.

The crowd had grown large, in their multitudes. Rescue workers from the Red Cross, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency team, The Police; in fact, every known law-enforcement agency was represented in their droves.

At 6.20pm, the rescue workers could go into the building to bring out victims- many of them, burnt beyond recognition, laid in body bags and whisked away by stand-by ambulances. What a day, what a scene, what a horror!

The quiet Iju community has since become a tourist site for many, robbed of its peace by the cruel angel of death.

-  Adeniyi Aliu

May those who died rest in peace and may their death not be in vain! —- News Bytes

PIN: 288E8105

The first set of fire-fighters came 40 minutes after the crash! Ah, O ga oo.

Op, i really love ds post.

I cant even imagine d horror of having to witness all this right before your 'very before'.

Only God knows how loud the passengers of that plane must have been screaming, pleading the blood of Jesus, banging on the aircraft, frightened children crying and clinging to their mothers so tight.

Gosh!! God have mercy!! What a horrific way to die.

May their souls all rest in peace. Amen.

Am supposed to be flying to Lagos soon with my family for my annual leave.

God knos am so scared to go ahead and book our flights. it's like buying one's death ticket.

The mans account is not adding up, plane crashes with with wing hitting a house... ok, but all man's attention now appears to be on the destroyed and burning house, nobody is even thinking about the plane and people in it.

It look more like a fision than a reality,it would have beta 4 sombody to hear of a mising plain dan witnesin it. GOD knows the reason 4 every tin sha

what a story..

otokx: The mans account is not adding up, plane crashes with with wing hitting a house... ok, but all man's attention now appears to be on the destroyed and burning house, nobody is even thinking about the plane and people in it.

mathew, mark, luke and john are diff accounts..

dis is d op's account

these fighter no go eva get water 4 there truck,then wetin b their primary tools.nawa o,we need serious reform o.

Very sorrowful event...I pray we will never experience such occurence IJN..

Nice write up!!!

Dis is so unfortunate,imagine what would have been happening inside the plane.may their souls rest in perfect peace Amen

Terrible! Terrible! Terrible!!!

otokx: The mans account is not adding up, plane crashes with with wing hitting a house... ok, but all man's attention now appears to be on the destroyed and burning house, nobody is even thinking about the plane and people in it.

The plane is an unknown object to him at the time, he has no idea if there were passsengers inside or who they were. He is concerned about the people he knows, his neighbors and their properties. Okay, ask that of the man who came out with his child strapped to his back and only remembered his brother in law when he was 'all clear'.

@Op
It would be a very saddening sight. I don't envy you your experience.
May their souls rest in peace

otokx: The mans account is not adding up, plane crashes with with wing hitting a house... ok, but all man's attention now appears to be on the destroyed and burning house, nobody is even thinking about the plane and people in it.

NIGERIANS MUST COMPLAIN SHA

Mr eye withness. No account of what happened around d plane, I mean d occupants? Did the plane set ablaze immediately it crash landed? What happend after it crashed!!?

Soo terrifying.I hv neva [n neva hope to] witnessed serious accident but d mere sight of it shakes my inner man, not to talk of watching such a huge object till it crashes.I stay in PH n one funny day I was sleeping n heard dis heavy sound,I jumped out from my dream n lo n behold it was a military chopper soo close t d roof of my house.Dat incident alone made me shook like I-pass-my-neighbor gen.Dis is really a black june.Fire fire fire bomb bomb collapse collapse every where.Ezechitoke abiamura Chekwebe nwagoo.

Wow truly depressing watching helplessly while the plane burnt! May their gentle souls rest in peace!! What still baffles me is dat 9/11 which happened 10years ago have video footage while dis crash which happened in 2012 has no video footage!

2 days nw I keep wondering wat feeling those passengers in d plane had, on being aware their deaths were imminent in 2 minutes! The imagination of what crys, terror, fear, the awareness as well as closeness of their deaths brought to them, is not wat one shld even desire for an enemy! May God grant them eternal peace, Rest and Forgiveness!

E never do?

So sad. Horrific eye witness account. Only God knows best why this happened. Imagine if the plane had held forte for just 5min longer in the air? The plane would've crash-landed in the airport and maybe, just maybe, there could've been survivors..

Good account, thank you for sharing OP.

Wow, thanks op. Men u just made me cry. I can imagine what u guys on ground are going through, Imagine something as big as a plane coming in your direction.

Thought it will contain useful information about the last moments of the flight that could help establish the cause but like typical Nigerian reportage, short on substance, long on tales. Rubbish.

Reference: Thought it will contain useful information about the last moments of the flight that could help establish the cause but like typical Nigerian reportage, short on substance, long on tales. Rubbish.

Did it occur to you that if he is being truthful all he can say is what he witnessed, and we only see what we want to see, not the full picture.

Reference: Thought it will contain useful information about the last moments of the flight that could help establish the cause but like typical Nigerian reportage, short on substance, long on tales. Rubbish.

So d timing and reactions of d law enforcement agencies wasn't useful info?
D way fire fighters ran out of water wasn't a useful info?
If u dey find film, go cinema!

Laila Ikeji: The first set of fire-fighters came 40 minutes after the crash! Ah, O ga oo.

Op, i really love ds post.

I cant even imagine d horror of having to witness all this right before your 'very before'.

Only God knows how loud the passengers of that plane must have been screaming, pleading the blood of Jesus, banging on the aircraft, frightened children crying and clinging to their mothers so tight.

Gosh!! God have mercy!! What a horrific way to die.

May their souls all rest in peace. Amen.

Am supposed to be flying to Lagos soon with my family for my annual leave.

God knos am so scared to go ahead and book our flights. it's like buying one's death ticket.

God will guide you through,empty your sins b4 boarding...

*Tears*

@OP
Pls did you mean that the plane actually was hovering side to side, up and down?
And could you remember how long it hovered in the air, from the time you saw it till when it crashed into the building?
Thank you.

i cant even imagine what the scene would like...i would just kneel on my knees and weep...not 1person had a peaceful death...hmm...

he gave a vivid account of what he saw,and to best of his descrition.if another eyewitness is gv account again,it wud be of similar but all of d same scene.what a horror! may there soul rest in peace.

venorite: Dis is so unfortunate,imagine what would have been happening inside the plane.may their souls rest in perfect peace Amen

i feel yhu man

this 'eyewitness' report does nothing for us. Instead of trying to write prose, the guy might have calmed down, dug into his memory and given us hard facts. This is nothing.