Yakowa-Azazi helicopter tragedy
From DESMOND MGBOH, Kano
Widow of the pilot of the helicopter that crashed in Bayelsa State, last Saturday, Hajia Ummu Abubakar Daba, yesterday in Kano bade her husband goodbye, saying she would treasure every moment of their marital life. Hajia spoke during a condolence visit by Daily Sun to their family home in Yarkasuwa Quarters, Dala, which is located in the city walls of Kano.
“I remember everything about my husband, I will remember everything about him and I will remember him in this special way,” she declared amidst intermittent sobs when asked what were the things she remembered most about her husband. In his honour, the naval authorities yesterday decorated Commander Mohammed Murtala Daba with the Forces Service Star (FSS) medal post-humously. He had merited the medal of honour, but could not be formally decorated until he passed on last Saturday. Commander Daba was only recently decorated with the rank of a naval commander.
This came as the late pilot was laid to rest according to Islamic rites at the Dandolo Cemetery in Kano. Chief Imam of Bakin Ruwa Mosque, Mallam Haliru, who prayed for the repose of Daba’s soul, led the funeral prayer. Daily Sun observed that while the men went for the funeral, all the sorrowful women remained at home to console his widow, who had since become frail on account of the huge shock of the tragedy. Hajia Daba said the death of her husband was painful, adding that she was not expecting anything like death in the family, even as she acknowledged that theirs was a very close marriage, full of joy and laughter.
“Honestly, I cannot actually express how I feel now or how I felt when I heard the news (of his death) because I didn’t see it coming. We have always had a wonderful time together,” she lamented. She disclosed that the last time she saw her husband alive was last month, precisely on November 21 before he was called up for official duty. Talking about what she was doing when she heard the news, she said: “I had just returned home from a child dedication in Lagos, because we live in Lagos. And a friend called me to ask if “I have heard that my husband was involved in a crash.”
She added that the friend, however, lied to her that her husband was in a stable condition and would soon get better. Speaking to Daily Sun, the immediate younger sister of the deceased, Hajia Hafsat Daba said the family was very sad and sorrowful over the pilot’s death. “Someone told me that a naval chopper had an accident at about 6.30pm and I said let me call my brother and ask who was in the helicopter. I tried his phone number and it did not go through and so I called his wife and she was crying on the phone, saying: “He is dead! He is dead!!” That was how I found out,” Hafsat recalled. Hajia Hafsat, who lives in United States and would be getting married on January 19, 2013, said she came back home to prepare for her wedding, only for the tragedy to overshadow her joy.
She noted that the last time she spoke to her brother, they shared several jokes and laughed themselves away: “I sent him a joke and he sent me a reply because he is a very jovial person. We shared jokes a lot. And I will say that was the last time I spoke to him.” Meanwhile, the wife of the Vice President, Hajia Amina Sambo was at the family home to condole with the widow. The vice president’s wife, accompanied by a light entourage, prayed for the repose of Daba’s soul and asked Allah to give the family the fortitude to bear the loss.
…take heart.
Very sad and terrible situation, please accept my condolence. God is in control
madam accept my heart felt sympaty and may God give the strenght to bear the loss
And for all of you tha are using the life of Nigerians to do business,inflate the prices of every thing any give us the worst in the market so u have enough to take ur family abroad God will purnish all of u andposterity will jurge u…infact those children u spend those monies onshall never be of use to you and the society expecially those in charge of that helicopter…May God jurge you all and pay you accordinly
God is with u, this is terrible in Our country at this point in time
May Allah forgive him and place in Janatul Firdaus, ameen
take heart, God giveth and he only takes.
May God give u the grace to bear his exit. And may his soul rest in perfect peace. Amen.
Its too painful to bear,accept my condolence.;-(
Take heart my dear, it is very Painful. It shall not be well kaduna current governor and namadi sambo for making life unbearable to people in the name of politics. May their souls rest in peace
It is normal.
Take heart and may God grant him and all of them rest in peace.
Madam,I know EXACTLY how you are feeling.Take heart.TIME heals everything.I have also gone through similar circumstance.God bless.
Very sorrowful, the ways people are dying just like that. Every individual has to handover yourself to GOD, for we’re in the mist of evil manupolators.
I know u re very young to face this difficult situation, but Almighty God will heal your wounds. Adieu Murtala Daba!
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Take heart
May God give u the fortitude to bear this irreparable lost.
very sad and touching i pray that God will guide you and see you through this moment…AMEN
Oh, is very painful well, takeheart. †ђξ Almighty God is in control. May his gentle soul rest in perfect peace. Adieu
Mohammed murtala Daba, maybe was not a suicide pilot. Maybe, just maybe.
So sorry,may Almighty Allah forgive him,repose his soul and give you and the entire family the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss,Amin.Surely each one of us will taste death one day including those who talk ill of the death!
I sincerely don’t know the problem of some of the commentators in this paper. They sound too illiterate, and blindfolded by religion which they are not even true adherents. Nnanna or what do you call yourself, because the Pilot was a Muslim, so you are insinuating suicide. What A BIG FOOL you are. A religion bigot, who know nothing about Christianity, and claim to defend it.
The problem of this country is the masses. Our leaders are having good time together both Christians and Muslims, and their Children are best of Friends globe throttling together, but some FOOLS will sit somewhere engaging themselves in a useless religion war.
It’s time the masses wake up and unite, in order to have a peaceful and developed Nigeria.,
Accept my sympathy my sister. It is well.
it pains my heart to hear this story, Hajia may Almighty God be your strenght. Amen. It is also very important to find out if there is no foul play, this is Nigeria any thing can go in the name of politics, i pray he was not used.
Unbehalf of myself, members of my family, I Commisserate with Hajiya Ummu Abubakar Daba on the death of her husband, may his gentle soul rest in perfect peace.
take heart GOD will see u and ur family through amen
May God give u the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss.Take heart and may their souls rest in peace.
May god giv her fortitude to bear the lost in jesus name amen but i suspect foul play on the side of muslim bc there youth a rejoicin wen the had of the death of d governor
I am saddened that these young officers were killed because of our recklessness.These Pilots were not recruited into the Nigerian Navy to fly fat cats to private burial ceremony of one old man in a remote village simply because he has a Son that is Special Assistant to the President.
The person who diverted and allowed Nigerian Navy Helicopter to be used for private purpose has the blood of these Young Officer on his hands and head of his generation.These people are simply not busy at all,Azazi should have stayed away from the Govt that sacked few months ago and Yakowa has no business leaving Govt business to attend burial in remote Bayelsa instead of sending his Liason Officer in Abuja or see Oronto Doglas when he returns in Abuja.
I am worried that the Government has not found solution to these killings, in whatever name they are called. Very important personalities are dying as if it is not death. But Naval Report says the aircraft was in good condition. So, what happened? Did the aircraft perform magic in the air? President should please investigate this event! I hope they did not do something to the aircraft so as to kill people they wanted to eliminate? Please Mr. President, tell us what really happened. I am praying that God may give you wisdom to investigate into this matter.
Uzoh from Lagos,
Nice one bro. Infact you said it all.
Thank you.
Is like everyone is talking about the northern and South South persons that died in the crash, but no one talks about the guy from the west…….is it fair????