Fashola rescues three kids from crash site

Gov. Babatunde Fashola has rescued and taken custody of three kids whose parents have been missing since the DANA Air aircraft crashed into their Iju-Ishaga neighbourhood at Iju, Agege, a Lagos suburb, on Sunday.

The  homeless children; Joel Okechukwu (11), Chisom Okechukwu (9) and Esther Okechukwu, whose age could not be immediately ascertained, were wandering around when they were spotted and rescued  by the governor during his visit to the site on Monday.

The children, who are now at the Goverment House, Ikeja, were sent on errands by their parents, Mr Jeremiah Okechukwu and Mrs  Josephine Okechukwu, when the aircraft  hit  their home and reduced it to a rubble.

The emergency response officials still working on the crash site had yet to ascertain whether the couple were dead or still trapped in the debris.

Briefing newmen on the rescue of the kids, Mr Aderemi Ibirogba, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, said they would remain with the governor until some of their relatives were identified.

“As things are now, the kids will remain with the governor here at Alausa. It`s so unfortunate that we cannot find  the parents, but Joel, the eldest of the kids, has mentioned to us a particular uncle of theirs.

“He said the uncle`s name is Anthony Okechukwu and that he lives in Abuja. We are trying to establish links with him and  inform him of the situation of the kids. We want the public to help us in this search.

“Of course, the governor is very willing to assist the kids, but the government thinks we should still know their relations.

“The kids are safe and they are being taken care of at Government House.”

Ibirogba said the children had passed Sunday night in the home of an unnamed Samaritan in the neighbourhood before they were seen and picked up by the governor during his visit to the area on Monday.

The governor had, during the visit, described the plane crash as shocking and emotionally devastating, expressing  his condolences to the families of  the 153 victims.

Fashola later visited some of the victims of the crash at the Emergency Unit of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), in Ikeja.

The entire Popoola and Akande Toyin streets were cordoned off  by heavily armed security personnel, even as rescue efforts continued.

A number of  houses were reduced to rubble,  even as thick smoke still covered a two-storey building which was seriously damaged by the crash.

Emergency response workers were also seen removing some bodies from the debris, as well as wrecked parts of the ill-fated aircraft. (NAN)