Bayelsa Mourns Four NAF Plane Crash Victims

The Bayelsa State Executive Council on Wednesday observed a minute silence in honour of four of its citizens in the ill-fated Nigeria Air Force (NAF) plane that crashed on Monday in Ondo State.

The NAF, in a statement, said it lost 25 of its personnel in the tragic incident, including the four from Bayelsa identified as Flight Lieutenant Tarila Lazarus (Southern Ijaw Local Government Area), Sergeant Izibenikien Samuel (Yenagoa), Sergeant Ebimobowei Charles Alafuka (Ekeremor) and Godstime Tarabina (Kolokuma/Opokuma)

Governor Diri, who presided at the 198th session of the meeting in the Executive Council Chambers in Government House, Yenagoa, expressed grief on behalf of the government and people of the state.

The governor said the state had been deeply affected by the tragedy, noting that he had earlier issued a condolence message to commiserate with President Bola Tinubu, the Chief of the Air Staff and families of the victims before the identity of the victims were released.

He said as directed by Mr. President, flags in the state fly at half-mast, and that the state government would liaise with relevant authorities towards taking steps to alleviate the pain of the victims’ families.

At the meeting, the governor also appreciated Bayelsans for their massive participation in activities marking the state’s 30th anniversary, saying the turnout demonstrated the people’s love for the state and their willingness to identify with its development.

He noted that the anniversary was not a political party event but an opportunity for Bayelsans to reflect on the state’s journey, assess its present position and project its future.

He particularly thanked the committee led by the Deputy Governor, Dr. Peter Akpe, government officials, citizens, diplomats, federal agencies and other guests who contributed to the success of the celebrations.

Diri urged Bayelsans to preserve the spirit of love, unity and oneness demonstrated during the anniversary, stressing that a state could only achieve greater development when its people worked together.

On the political season, Diri called on politicians and their supporters to conduct issue-based and civil campaigns, rather than resorting to insults, character assassination and inflammatory language.

He also urged political actors to campaign on their records, policies and what they intend to achieve for the people, emphasising that political differences should not destroy the bonds that exist among the people.

“Politics will come and go, but we will still remain the same brothers and sisters. Our communities will not be taken away because of APC, PDP, Labour or other parties.”

The governor also announced plans by the administration to prepare a short and long-term development plan for the state before the end of his tenure.

He said the plan would provide a framework to guide future administrations and ensure continuity in the development of the state.

According to him, development should not be tied to one administration, but must be approached as a collective responsibility requiring long-term planning.

Meanwhile, Governor Diri received two awards presented by the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, and his Trade, Industry and Investment counterpart.

The Commissioner for Justice, Biriyai Dambo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, presented an award from the Law Officers’ Institution of Nigeria, recognising the governor for his performance in the welfare of state counsel and inducting him into the Hall of Fame of the Bayelsa State Ministry of Justice.

The Commissioner for Trade, Industry and Investment, Dr. Ebieri Jones, also presented an award from Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), which honoured Diri as MSME Development Champion and Friendly Governor following the successful hosting of the annual Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) conference in the state.

In his response, Diri said the recognition would encourage his administration to do more, noting that the appreciation of stakeholders remained a motivation for the government.