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All 8 passengers in Bonny chopper disaster feared dead — Police

Published

2 years ago

October 25, 2024

All 8 passengers in Bonny chopper disaster feared dead — Police

The Eastwind Aviation helicopter that crashed into Bonny River, in Rivers State, yesterday, has claimed the lives of its eight occupants.

The helicopter, carrying eight persons, six passengers and two crew members, crashed from Port Harcourt Military base to FPSO NUIM ANTAN (offshore Calabar).

Rivers State Police Command said all eight persons aboard the helicopter that ditched into the Atlantic Ocean have been reportedly dead.

The Police Public Relations Officer of the Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, in a statement in Port Harcourt, yesterday, said: “The Rivers State Police Command regrets to inform the public of a tragic incident that occurred today, at 11am.

“Mr. Ifeanyi Udogwu, a staff of Antan Producing Limited, Port Harcourt, reported to the Command that a helicopter with the call sign number 5N-BQG (S76C+), belonging to East Wing Aviation, departed from the NAF Base in Port Harcourt. The flight was bound for Nuim Antan OML123 fields, carrying two crew members and six passengers.

“Unfortunately, about 11a.m., the helicopter reportedly ditched into the ocean near Antan Producing Limited’s Mimbo platform and FPSO. All eight persons onboard are feared dead.

“The Marine Division of the Rivers State Police Command is cooperating with other agencies to recover the aircraft and the occupants.

“The Rivers State Police Command extends its deepest condolences to the families of the tragic times.

Aviation ministry confirms crash

The incident was confirmed in a statement by the spokesperson of the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Odutayo Oluseyi.

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Meanwhile, Vanguard gathered that the oil workers were contract staff of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited, NNPCL.

The statement said that three bodies have been recovered so far from the crashed helicopter, while search and rescue operations were ongoing to locate the remaining passengers.

“It said the helicopter, a Sikorsky SK76 with registration 5NBQG and operated by East Wind Aviation, was from Port Harcourt Military Base, DNPM, to the Nuimantan Oil Rig.

“The aircraft, with eight persons on board, ditched into the waters near Bonny Finima in the Atlantic Ocean.

“The National Safety Investigation Bureau, NSIB, has been notified and emergency response teams were immediately activated.

“Search and rescue operations are ongoing with the support of the Nigerian Search and Rescue Unit, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, the National Safety Investigation Bureau, NSIB, and other relevant agencies. Neighbouring aerodromes have also been notified for support.

“While no Emergency Locator Transmitter, ELT, signal was received, manual efforts to plot the location of the accident are underway.

“And all available resources, including the military and low-flying aircraft, have been deployed to assist in locating and rescuing any survivor(s). So far, three bodies have been recovered,” the statement added.

NSIB investigates helicopter crash

Meanwhile, NSIB, has commenced investigation into the accident.
A statement by Director, Public Affairs and Family Assistance of NSIB, Mrs. Bimbo Oladeji, said: “Operating under Visual Flight Rules, VFR, the helicopter did not transmit an Emergency Locator Transmitter, ELT, signal, prompting authorities to manually plot the accident’s location to expedite search and rescue efforts.

Search and rescue operations were activated immediately, with the NSIB collaborating closely with NEMA, NCAA, the Nigerian Armed Forces and other relevant agencies. Emergency response teams are actively working to locate survivors, with three bodies recovered so far. The search continues with support from neighbouring aerodromes, military units, and low-flying aircraft.

Quoting the Director General of NSIB, Captain Alex Badeh Jr., the statement added: “Our thoughts and prayers are with the families affected by this tragic incident. We are fully committed to uncovering the circumstances surrounding this accident. We will work diligently to ensure that all necessary information is collected. The public must avoid speculation during this sensitive time, as our focus is on providing clarity and accountability through our investigation.”

All 8 passengers in Bonny chopper disaster feared dead — Police

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Court Orders 18-Year-Old Fraudster To Pay ₦1.2m Over $800 Lottery Scam

Published

10 hours ago

November 2, 2026

Trends Admin

Court Orders 18-Year-Old Fraudster To Pay ₦1.2m Over $800 Lottery Scam

A Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, has convicted an 18-year-old man, Hassan Usman Olamilekan, for money laundering after he admitted obtaining $800 from a United States citizen through a fake $250 million lottery scheme.

Justice Dipeolu convicted Olamilekan on October 30, 2026, after he pleaded guilty to a one-count charge filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The court imposed a fine of ₦200,000 and ordered him to pay an additional ₦1 million to the Federal Government, bringing his total financial obligation to ₦1.2 million. He is to remain in a correctional centre pending payment of the fine and the ordered amount.

The judge also directed the forfeiture of two mobile phones recovered in connection with the offence: an iPhone 11 Pro and a Poco C71.

According to the EFCC, Olamilekan defrauded an American citizen, identified as Gary Brewer, through the Zangi messaging application, where he allegedly impersonated a woman named Julie Leach.

Investigators said the 18-year-old told Brewer that he had won a $250 million lottery prize but needed money to activate the winnings before he could collect the supposed prize.

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The fabricated lottery story reportedly persuaded the American to send gift cards worth $800 through the messaging platform.

The EFCC said Olamilekan admitted selling the gift cards through the Cardsonic application, converting the proceeds into naira and transferring the money into his grandmother’s OPay account. He also admitted benefiting from the $800 obtained through the transaction.

The commission said the defendant operated several social media and messaging accounts, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Zangi and iMessage, which investigators linked to his fraudulent activities.

The charge against him accused him of indirectly disguising the origin of $800 in gift cards, which represented proceeds of unlawful activity. The offence was brought under Section 18(2)(a) and punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

Following his guilty plea, an EFCC operative, Ebuka Abanga, presented the facts of the case before the court. Justice Dipeolu subsequently found him guilty and convicted him.

Olamilekan was among 21 suspected internet fraudsters arrested by EFCC operatives during a sting operation at Applewood Estate, Orchid Road, Lekki, Lagos State, on October 26, 2026.

The arrest was carried out by operatives of the commission’s Lagos Zonal Directorate 1, four days before his conviction.

The EFCC disclosed the conviction in a statement issued on Monday through its Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, as part of its ongoing efforts to prosecute financial and cyber-related crimes.

Court Orders 18-Year-Old Fraudster To Pay ₦1.2m Over $800 Lottery Scam

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Footballer Dies as Trailer Rams Car Into Bus on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway

Published

10 hours ago

November 2, 2026

Trends Admin

Footballer Dies as Trailer Rams Car Into Bus on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway

A footballer has died in a fatal multiple-vehicle crash along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in Ogun State after a trailer allegedly rammed into the car conveying him and other members of his football academy.

The accident occurred on Monday, November 2, 2026, around the Magboro axis of the expressway in Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State.

The crash reportedly involved a Mercedes-Benz C300 and a commercial bus, with officials of the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency (TRACE) and police officers confirming that one person died at the scene.

According to an eyewitness, the footballer and other members of his football academy were travelling in two vehicles to participate in a football match when the incident occurred.

The witness said a trailer suddenly crossed from the opposite side of the road and rammed into the Mercedes-Benz, forcing the car into a commercial bus.

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The collision reportedly killed the footballer inside the Mercedes-Benz, while other occupants of the vehicles survived.

“We were going for a match. We just saw a trailer cross from the other side and hit this Benz, then it hit the bus. Only one person died in the car while the rest of us survived. Everyone in the bus is fine, too. The trailer driver fled with his vehicle afterwards,” the eyewitness said.

The witness, who spoke on condition of anonymity, further alleged that the trailer driver fled the scene with the vehicle immediately after the collision.

The Mercedes-Benz, which had registration number SMK-878KX, was badly damaged in the accident, while efforts were reportedly made to evacuate its wreckage from the expressway.

The identity of the deceased footballer had not been established as of the time of reporting.

The circumstances surrounding the crash, including the alleged escape of the trailer driver, were expected to be investigated by the relevant authorities.

The incident adds to concerns over road safety on the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, a major route connecting Lagos and several communities in the South-West and other parts of the country.

Footballer Dies as Trailer Rams Car Into Bus on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway

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Gunmen Intercept Family Car, Abduct Woman, Two Children, Release Husband in Abuja

Published

11 hours ago

November 2, 2026

Trends Admin

FCT Police Command Spokesperson, CSP Adeh Josephine

Gunmen Intercept Family Car, Abduct Woman, Two Children, Release Husband in Abuja

Gunmen have abducted a woman, identified as Mrs Attah Arome, and her two children after intercepting the family’s vehicle in the Kagini area of Bwari, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

The attackers reportedly released her husband, Attah Arome, but took his wife and the two children to an undisclosed location, triggering fresh concerns over the safety of residents in the outskirts of the nation’s capital.

The incident occurred at about 11pm on Sunday, October 25, 2026, as the family was returning from an outing.

According to a report by The Whistler published on Monday, November 2, the gunmen double-crossed the family’s vehicle around Kagini, forcing it to stop before taking the woman and her children away.

A source close to the family confirmed the incident, disclosing that the abductors had contacted relatives and demanded ransom for the victims’ release.

The source, however, declined to disclose the amount demanded by the kidnappers.

“Yes, it’s true. The gunmen double-crossed their car around the Kagini area of Bwari. They released the husband and went away with the wife and two children. They have contacted the family and demanded ransom,” the source said.

The circumstances surrounding the decision to release the husband while abducting the other three family members were not immediately clear.

It was also unclear whether the abductors had given the family a deadline to meet their ransom demand or issued any threats over possible consequences of non-payment.

Efforts by The Whistler to contact the spokesperson of the FCT Police Command, CSP Josephine Adeh, for comments were unsuccessful. The police had yet to issue an official statement confirming the abduction as of the time of the report.

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The latest incident comes amid continuing concerns over kidnapping in Bwari Area Council, where several communities have experienced attacks by armed groups.

In March 2026, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported a series of abductions in communities around Byazhin and Peze in Bwari. Residents described repeated attacks on homes and farm settlements, with families reportedly receiving ransom demands.

In another report published in March, Premium Times disclosed that troops of the Nigerian Army’s 7 Guards Battalion, working with police officers and local vigilantes, rescued 19 kidnapped persons during a search-and-rescue operation around Gidan Dogo in Bwari Area Council.

The rescued victims included a retired military officer, children and farm workers who had been abducted in separate attacks.

The recurring incidents have prompted residents to call for stronger security deployments, improved surveillance and a permanent security presence in vulnerable communities.

For the Arome family, however, the immediate concern remains the safe return of the abducted woman and her two children.

Relatives are reportedly facing the difficult task of negotiating with the kidnappers while seeking the intervention of security agencies to secure the victims’ release.