Dana Air paints them as liars. The airline says it has not abandoned them. But, four months after its aircraft crashed into their homes in Iju-Isaga,a Lagos suburb, they are yet to be compensated. The disaster claimed over 200 lives and any moment from now, Dana flights will take to the sky again. It has already done a test flight.
The victims, including old widows and young parents with many children, have cried out to both the Federal and Lagos State governments to come to their aid and ensure that what is left of their lives is not shattered.
Like a whirlwind, the ill fated Dana aircraft rammed into some buildings at Popoola and Olaniyi streets in Iju Ishaga, rendering no fewer than seven families homeless. A host of others had part of their properties destroyed.
Miscreants took advantage of the emergency to cart away valuables of those who ran for safety. They vandalised shops and other buildings that were not directly affected by the crash.
Although the airline had on several occasions announced that it had begun compensating families of those who died and those displaced, none of the displaced has been contacted by Dana Air after the airline gave some ‘meagre’ assistance to some to secure accommodation.
The Nation gathered that most of the victims had, through their lawyers, written the airline but got no reply.
Worst hit by the disaster is Pastor Daniel Omowunmi and his family, who lost properties valued over N500 million.
Others are Mr. Adoroja, whose two- storey building was razed down, the familes of Odika Daniel, Chima Iloka, Mr./Mrs. Ogbonnaya Mr./Mrs. Eweh, Mr./Mrs. Okafor and Daniel Obasi.
Also affected are two old widows, Mrs. Adekunle Abike of 7, Popola Street and Hajia Ramota Akinwusi of 11, Popoola Street.
Mrs. Akinwusi said Omowunmi was a good man who assisted a lot of the people in the neighbourhood with employment and cash.
She said: “I am a Muslim, but I can tell you that there is hardly anyone who went to the pastor for assistance that did not get same.
“He was a very good man and does not deserve to be abandoned. He gave a lot of people jobs and always assisted those who had financial problems. I am begging the government to build his properties for him so that he will not suffer.”
On the extent of damage on her property, Mrs. Akinwusi said part of her boys’ quarters was affected as well as her toilet facility, which was destroyed.
She said miscreants, who took advantage of the situation, looted her shop and carted away tubers of yams, recharge cards and money. They also damaged part of her fence and roofing.
Mrs. Akinwusi said the looters also burgled the shop of one of her tenants, which forced the tenant to abandon the shop since the incident.
“Things have not been the same since that incident occurred. The tenants I used to get rents from have all packed out. They said they cannot stay in a compound without toilet. So, as an old woman, I am just trying to see how I can reconstruct my soak-away and buy the equipment for the toilet.
“It has not been easy because the major customers I had were those who were seriously affected. Since that time, business has been grounded; many people have packed out of the area because of the bad omen.
“Dana came here for inspection when the crash occurred and they promised to come back and repair our buildings but since then I have not seen anyone.
“I know that my own case is not so serious like those people who lost their houses and properties worth millions but they should also remember to come and repair my building for me.
“I am doing the little I can because I am old. I do not know the exact value of the things I lost and I do not want to lie. So, they should come and repair my property for me.”
Mrs. Adekunle is disappointed that the airline is yet to settle her former neighbours who lost their entire belongings to the disaster.
“I have not seen them. I heard they came here some time ago for inspection and promised to come and attend to us after they had finished settling those who died as well as those who were rendered homeless. But till today, I have neither seen them nor received anything from them.
“Please, whoever is responsible should come and repair my house for me. My boys’ quarters is almost collapsing and even the roofs of my main building have gone bad.”
Pastor Omowunmi, who said he has through his solicitors, Dele Adesina &Co., written series of letters to the airline and the law firm representing Dana’s insurer, Yomi Oshikoya &Co., told The Nation that he was disappointed that the airline has shown no concern towards his plight.
He said: “I am really disappointed and wonder the kind of people the management of Dana Air and those representing them are. They must be satanic people, else they should not be comfortable having done nothing these past months to even show some concern for the lives they have destroyed.
“The only thing Dana has done has been to put me through stress. The property of the person that imported those books is now at risk. The documents, including those of the kitchen utensils, were sent to Dana, but till today, they have not said anything.
“The management of Dana is made of satanic people. From the day I rejected their N500, 000 offer till date, they have not bothered to know what has happened to us. They have not contacted anyone of the displaced persons.
“My family and I have been squatting in the church premises. I thank God for the grace of life and I know that God who has brought us this far, will not abandon us.
“If Dana says they have contacted us, they are lying. As I talk with you, even the other people who lost their properties have not been contacted. I am in touch with the others and if Dana had contacted anyone of them, I will know.
“They are only interested in reopening their business to make money without recourse to innocent Nigerians they have ruined.”
Omowunmi said the crash destroyed everything he had worked for over the years and also destroyed other people’s property he had in his warehouse.
“I own the property on 8/10 Popoola/Olaniyi Streets. It is a four plot of land that housed my warehouse, furniture factory, my residential building and my fish pond, among others.
“After writing several letters, including those from my lawyer to Dana and their insurance company’s law firm, without reply, I wrote a petition to President Goodluck Jonathan and copied the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, the Minister for Aviation, the Inspector General of Police, the Chairman, National Human Rights Commission and the Director General, NCAA on September 26.
“I also wrote the Senate President, who I must commend for his prompt response, Speaker, House of Representatives, Lagos State Governor and the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, among other persons,” he said.
Omowunmi lamented that some days after he submitted his claims to the airline, he discovered that Yomi Oshikoya &Co., are the local correspondent to Dana’s underwriters.
“On July 23, I attended a meeting tagged ‘preliminary meeting’ alongside my solicitors at the office of Yomi Oshikoya &Co., where the managing partner, Otunba Yomi Oshikoya sarcastically noted that I was claiming N500 million for a mere building.
“His statement was evidence that my claims dated June 20, more than one month after, had not been read as at July 23; else he would have discovered that I was not claiming N500 million for the building alone but for other goods/stocks stored in the warehouse as well as my furniture factory.”
The pastor alleged that after the preliminary meeting, his lawyers were requested to supply documents to prove his claim. The documents were forwarded on July 24 to Oshikoya’s firm.
He said efforts had been made by his lawyers to secure another meeting with both Dana and their insurance company’s representative to no avail.
The schedule of claims sent to the airline shows that Omowunmi’s premises had a six-bedroom duplex (ensuite) with a penthouse, four bedroom bungalow with two large sitting rooms, two standard warehouse and four fish ponds (fully stocked).
It further stated that the warehouse accommodated his furniture factory which housed 447 panel doors, imported educational materials, imported kitchen utensils as well as other items either warehoused for various clients or for his use at the furniture factory.
For the building structures, factory equipment, plants and machines, electronics/appliances, furniture, fixtures and fittings, personal effects, livestock as well as cost of resettlement for a period of two years, Omowunmi wants the airline to pay N224.1 million.
He said the educational books that were imported from Malaysia by Thursmay Educational Services and were being warehoused in his premises was valued at N250.1 million, adding that necessary documents and contacts for verification were made available to the airline for confirmation.
Omowunmi said the kitchen utensils which were also imported by Nike Odupitan and warehoused at his premises is worth N40, million, adding that necessary documents were also forwarded to the airline and its representatives.
The compensation being demanded for losses suffered by the pastor is N514.176 million as well as N10 million per month for loss of earnings from the date of the incident till when the redevelopment of his damaged properties would be concluded.
He urged the government to compel the airline to fulfill its responsibility to the affected persons, saying he believes that Dana intends to push him to the wall and force him to seek redress from the court so that it can exploit the attendant delays associated with the nation’s court system.
“I have series of coordinated activities to undertake but I do not want to unfold them yet. It appears Dana people want to force me to go to court. We only know when a court process starts, no one can tell how long it will last and so, I am still trying to exhaust other options since I have been out of business and homeless.
“I expect the government to use their good offices to pressurise Dana to compensate me and others affected on the ground.”
Okafor, who also decried the alleged nonchalance of the management of the airline to their plight, said he has written Dana through his solicitors and forwarded his claims to them but have not received any reply from the airline.
He said he has tried to move on but the trauma and pains have been made worst by the airline’s negligence.
Okafor said: “It is very devastated for someone to, all of a sudden, lose all he has, and it is made even worse because the people responsible seem not to be bothered about the whole issue.
“But for the N200, 000 and some food stuff I received from them when the crash occurred, I have not heard anything from them. They have not even looked for us or replied to acknowledge our letters.”
Also lamenting the negligence he and his family have suffered, Iloka said it was cruel for the airline to have acted the way they did.
He said: “It shows how unreasonable and heartless they are. But God is watching us all and I am sure everyone shall be held accountable for their actions.”
Spokesman of ‘seriously affected victims’ Chike Okwuosa said they have not heard from Dana Air, except when some of them got N200, 000 from the airline as a temporary measure to help them secure accommodation.
He said: “Dana said they were coming to compensate those that were affected but till now, nothing has been done.
“People who are at the camp are those we call moderately affected. All those that were seriously affected rejected the camp because that place to start with is far. Moreover, it was difficult for them to go about their daily activities and to come down to Ishaga to make their collections.
“We are appealing to the government to hold Dana airline responsible. Imagine Pastor Daniel that lost his entire investments, till date he is squatting in a church.
“That pastor does not deserve to be neglected. We all live in this community and can testify that he gave so many people hope. There was hardly anyone who will approach him for help that he will not assist. Government should return all that he lost to him, and let others who were affected be compensated.”
Dana spokesman Mr. Tony Usidame, however, debunked the allegations that the airline has not been in contact with the affected persons.
He said: “Persons with free mind will attest that we have been in touch with them because we acknowledge and recognise the traumas they must have gone through.
“Claims are being processed and benefits will soon be paid to the affected persons in accordance to the law.
“Our insurers are handling the process and I am positive that compensation shall be paid soon to the affected persons in accordance to the law.”
Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice Ade Ipaye said government was working towards bringing the management of Dana Air and Omowunmi to a round table.
He said the petition written by Omowunmi got to them and a committee has been set up to address the issues and see how the matter between both parties can be resolved without litigation.
“Yes, we received a letter from him and we have resolved to choose a date within the week so that both the victim and management of Dana will come for a meeting to enable us settle the issue.
“He made some claims which I do not know if Dana has looked into, so by the time they come for the meeting, we will hear from both sides and know where the problems lie.”
The way things stand now, the struggle continues for the victims. Is victory certain?
