1993 Nigerian Airways hijack

Last updated

Nigeria Airways Flight 470
Nigeria Airways A310-200 5N-AUH FCO Aug 1989.png
A Nigeria Airways Airbus A310-221, registration 5N-AUH, involved to the hijack at Rome Fiumicino Airport in 1989
Hijacking
Date25 October 1993 (1993-10-25)
Summary Hijacking
Siteen route
Aircraft
Aircraft type Airbus A310-221
Aircraft name Rima River
Operator Nigerian Airways
Registration 5N-AUH
Flight origin Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, Nigeria
Destination Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, Nigeria
Occupants149
Fatalities1
Survivors148

On Monday, October 25, 1993, Nigeria Airways Flight 470, flight from Lagos to Abuja was hijacked by 4 teenagers aged 16 and 18. [1]

Contents

Aircraft

The aircraft was an Airbus A310-221, MSN 340, registration 5N-AUH, powered by two PW JT9D-7R4D1 engines. The aircraft was delivered by Airbus to Nigeria Airways in December 1984, and was used for 22 years before being scrapped at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in July 2006.

Background

Richard Ogunderu, Kabir Adenugaa, Benneth Oluwadaisi and Kenny Rasaq-Lawal boarded the flight initially planned to fly from Lagos to Abuja containing top government officials including Rong Yiren, [2] the vice president of China, and Nigerian government officials. [3]

The hijackers had planned to divert the aircraft to Frankfurt, Germany. However, the plane needed to stopover for refueling in Niamey, Niger Republic. When the flight landed at the Diori Hamani International Airport in Niamey, the hijackers announced that the flight had been taken over by "Movement for the Advancement of Democracy in Nigeria". [1]

The hijackers demanded that the Nigerian military-backed interim government resign and name Moshood Abiola as the president. The four hijackers said they would set the Airbus 310 on fire in 72 hours if this demand was not met. [4]

After two hours of negotiations they freed 129 people, including Rong Yiren, from the plane and held back the crew and Nigerian government officials. [2]

The four hijackers said they would set the Airbus 310 on fire in 72 hours unless Nigerian authorities agreed to their demands, which at first included the resignation of the military-backed government. [4]

After four days, the gendarmes invaded the plane and arrested the hijackers. The rescue operation killed crew member Ethel Igwe, while Richard was also injured. [5]

Aftermath

The hijackers spent 9 years, 4 months in Niger prison. Shortly after the hijack, Ernest Shonekan's interim government was replaced by General Sani Abacha's government . [6]

Dramatization

References

  1. 1 2 "'Our June 12 Plane hijack story'-Richard Ogunderu". Sahara Reporters. 20 June 2009. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
  2. 1 2 "Hijacked Nigerian Airways Jet Stops in Niger, Most Passengers Re". AP NEWS. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
  3. ↑ OBIEJESI, Kingsley (25 October 2017). "FLASHBACK: How four teenagers hijacked a Nigeria Airways plane 'for MKO Abiola'". International Centre for Investigative Reporting. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
  4. 1 2 "Foes of Nigeria Rulers Hijack Plane to Niger". The New York Times. Associated Press. 26 October 1993. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 15 June 2022.
  5. ↑ "Hijackers of a Nigerian Jet Are Captured After 3 Days". The New York Times. Reuters. 28 October 1993. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 15 June 2022.
  6. ↑ "Hello 20-10-2020? 1993 called, and it wants Richard Ogunderu back". Businessday NG. 20 October 2021. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
  7. ↑ Bada, Gbenga (26 October 2024). "Hijack '93 debuts on Netflix". The Nation (Nigeria). Retrieved 27 October 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.