There was a short period of tension at the Enugu Government House on
Tuesday as a helicopter belonging to Aero Contractors mistakenly landed
at the Governor’s Lodge.The erroneous landing caused panic among the residents and staff who mistook it for terrorists.
Three occupants of the helicopter – two pilots and an Engineer were immediately detained for alleged security breaches.
DailyPost learnt that security men at the Governor’s lodge took positions on sighting the helicopter since the mission of the occupants was not known to them.
Governor Sullivan Chime was said to be present in the lodge when the helicopter landed suddenly on the carpet-grassed open space in front of the lodge.
The three occupants were immediately arrested and later handed over to the State Police Command by the Deputy Superintendent of Police, DSP Fidelis Ogarabe, Chief Security Officer to Governor Sullivan Chime for interrogation.
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Chukwudi Achife, in a statement on the issue, said: “At about 10.30 am today (Tuesday), a helicopter bearing the markings of Aero Contractors landed without permission at the Governor’s lodge.
“The mission of the visitors was unknown to the government. After preliminary inquiries, the Chief Security Officer to the Governor, Mr. Fidelis Ogarebe, handed the three occupants of the aircraft – two pilots and one Engineer over to the State Police Command for further investigations”.
However, a source told DailyPost that the pilot of the chartered helicopter mistook the Government House for the State House of Assembly complex where he was to land to convey the corpse of a deceased member of the old Anambra State House of Assembly, Sir Andrew Okonkwo Umeoji to his Aguata country home after a valedictory session held in his honour by the state lawmakers Tuesday morning.
Sir Umeoji represented Aguata North Central in the old Anambra State House of Assembly in 1983. He died recently and his funeral programme commenced on Tuesday with a valedictory session held in his honour by members of the Enugu State House of Assembly.
“The valedictory session was held for him this morning and after the event presided over by the Speaker, Chief Eugene Odoh, the casket was rather conveyed to Anambra State in a motorcade since the helicopter did not land at the Legislative building which is about 200 meters away from the Government House”, spokesman of the State Assembly, Mr. Jonas Ugwuanyi said.
He said that the House of Assembly premises was cleared for the helicopter to land but it could not be seen until the end of the valedictory session.
But unknown to the lawmakers, the helicopter had landed in the Governor’s lodge where the crew members were detained for allegedly breaching the security of the Government House.
The State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu, said when contacted that the command had commenced investigations with a view to finding out “why the aircraft landed there vis-à-vis who invited them, where they came from amongst other things”.
Security had been beefed up at the Government House since members of the pro-Biafra Movement, Biafra Zionist Federation, BZF, invaded the Enugu State seat of power at about 4.30am on March 8, 2014.
The children of the deceased second republic lawmaker including the current chairman of Aguata Local Government Area, Mr. Chukwuma Umeoji and his sister who is a senior staff of Zenith Bank were said to have contacted the Government House to seek the release of the helicopter and the crew members but their pleas were reportedly turned down as the Governor who was said to have been frightened by the strange visitors, reportedly directed that the incident be thoroughly investigated.
http://dailypost.ng/2014/04/29/panic-aero-contractors-aircraft-mistakenly-lands-enugu-government-house-three-crew-members-arrested/?utm_source=&utm_medium=twitter
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