MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS PRESS STATEMENT

The Honourable minister of Foreign Affairs – Ambassador Olugbenga Ashiru, MFR, the Honourable Minister of State II – Dr. Nurudeen Muhammed, the Permanent Secretary – Ambassador (Dr) Martin Ohumoibhi and the entire staff of the ministry of Foreign Affairs have conveyed their heartfelt condolences to the Honourable minister of State I – Professor Viola Adaku Onwuliri on the unfortunate death, on official duty, of her beloved husband – Professor Celestine Onwuliri – in the ill fated DANA Airlines flight 0992 from Abuja to Lagos that crashed on Sunday, June 3, 2012 as it approached the airport in Lagos.

2. The condolence message was conveyed to the Honourable Minister of State I by a special delegation led by the Honourable Minister of State II, comprising all Under Secretaries and Directors of the ministry of Foreign Affairs that visited her at her residence in Abuja yesterday, Monday, June 4, 2012.

3. The delegation also seized the opportunity to express deep sorrow at the loss of lives of other Nigerians in the tragic accident. It prayed for the repose of the souls of the departed, while beseeching the Almighty God to grant the bereaved families and the entire nation at large, the fortitude to bear the irreparable losses.

4. Ambassador Ashiru has accordingly conveyed to all Nigerian missions abroad Mr. President’s directives to observe the three days of national mourning and to fly the national flag at half mast, while also opening condolence registers both at headquarters and our missions abroad.

5. Once more, the Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs, on behalf of the entire staff of the ministry commiserates with the nation on this national disaster.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Tafawa Balewa House,
Eagle Square.
Abuja - FCT