The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has expressed shock and sadness over the Sunday plane crash which claimed many innocent lives and properties in Lagos.
In a statement in Abuja the Executive Secretary of the Commission, Prof. Bem Angwe, commiserated with the families of victims of the crash and the entire nation over the irreparable loss. He commended the steps so far taken by the President and the National Assembly in addressing the situation, calling for a diligent review and enforcement of air safety standards in order to forestall the recurrence of such a calamity.
The Executive Secretary noted that the loss of such a large number of Nigerians, no doubt, was a national tragedy stressing that the nation cannot afford to lose her citizens in that manner. Prof. Angwe who was visibly worried over the incident, called on government to take decisive action against any one or institution whose action or inaction contributed to the tragedy.
“If you lose your life you have lost everything. It is very important that care must be taken to ensure that the right to life is given absolute meaning through our collective actions”, he said.
The ripple effect of this tragedy, Prof. Angwe noted, is that many families have been dislocated while children have been turned orphans overnight. While the nation awaits the full report of the investigations, the Executive Secretary called on the Government and relevant bodies to make concerted efforts to assuage the pains and grief of the families who were affected by the disaster, including those displaced from their homes as a result of the crash.
Similarly, the Executive Secretary called on the management of DANA Airline involved in the crash to commence without delay the computation of all the insurance benefits of the victims of the air crash and ensure timely and adequate compensation.
