Search operations continue after Nigeria plane crash

0:00Hello there and welcome to Focus on Africa, I am in K.C.A. Today marks the end of the 3-day National Morning Period in Nigeria after a military aircraft crashed in southwest on those states, killing all 25 people on board. In what analysts say is the country's deadliest military air disaster since 1992. We hear from witnesses and our reporter who was at the scene. And a new generation of African travel creators are using social media to show global audiences the continent's beauty through food, fashion, scenery and culture.

1:28It's Thursday, October 8th. We begin in Nigeria where national flags are flying at half-mast, as the country marks the third day of morning after a military aircraft crash claimed the lives of all 25 people on board. Authorities say the Nigerian Air Force plane carrying five crew members and 20 passengers to Lagos crashed into a swamp near a naval base in Ibuqada in on those states, southwest Nigeria. Residents gathered at the scene, watching a certain rescue team try to recover the wreckage and searched for victims. Here's what some of them told us. Suddenly we just heard the sound. When I looked, I saw that the plane was already on fire, with some of the parts scattered on the ground.

2:29Where it not for the pilot, the plane would have crashed here. The pilots directed the plane to the opposite side of the church. On falling there, we just heard boom, the water splashed into the air. If you look at that palm tree, you would see that the aircraft oil spilled all over it, turning it to red. Some soldiers and navy came to rescue, but they couldn't succeed because the crash was inside the swamp forest. I am grateful to God because if the crash had happened here, I wouldn't be alive. I am safe, I am talking now, I will not be alive. There was a sorrow, pain-footed people, because the Nigerians were the same blood. When I am in some mode of their age, I am dead. You take the person as a person as a self, that is the same that happened to you. I have treated the family that I have just been able to. I went on an Nigerian, so we may not be the same on that way, where we are an Nigerian. It is a painful subject to everyone.

3:31The aircraft involved was an ATR-42, a plane model that can typically carry between 30 and 50 passengers. It remains unclear what might have led to the crash, but Nigeria's president, Bolotinibu, has ordered a full investigation into the crash. Here is my colleague, Makoji Okafo, who visited the crash site earlier. I am literally like 50 meters away from just about the crash site. Now, access has been blocked for journalists and community members to go further than here. I am standing in front of a river and apparently the crash happened in the swampy forest beyond this river. Just about 50 meters behind me. Now, there are lots of locals around me, maybe waiting patiently to see if anybody or any wreckage can be pulled out from here. Access to bringing the excavators and the big machines have been very difficult.

4:32It has actually made this job quite difficult for the military personnel. There is huge forests, swamp. And just there is this huge sense of anticipation as locals have gathered trying to see if at least anyone or anything can be pulled out from this site. I think this is what this scene is like right now here in Mako-Dak. While Nigeria has experienced several military aviation accidents over the years, the crash has been described as the country's deadliest military plane crash since 1992, when 159 people lost their lives. For more insights on the incident, I spoke with Makoji Okafo. First, the mood was really low in the community. That's it, work order. And the scene was difficult and here is why now this community is a river-rion community. They have lots of rivers and water bodies surrounding them, or quality of them coastal, if you permit me.

5:34So, not only did I have to change from sneakers to boots because of how very modern, swampy and terrain was. It made the job, the rescue operation a little bit more difficult for the Nigerian military. As at Wednesday, the big cranes and swamp boogies were on ground, but it took quite a while to find a way to put floaters on the water body and cross into the swamp where it was said the Nigerian aircraft crashed. Now, journalists, unfortunately, could now go to that particular site, so we're very close to the ground. We could see the site from like 50 meters away, the military captain going there, some people were stationed there just to protect it. Because I believe they need everything to be intact before investigation begins. Now, the mood, as I said, was a bit low. Across the country, people have really been hard-broken. In fact, we're beginning to see social media posts of families and friends of people who knew these soldiers. Of course, their names were put out publicly, somewhere said, reportedly, to have just got married recently.

6:38It's quite sad and there's a bit of context concerning. Nigeria is fighting in sugencies, so every loss of manpower, or even equipment or aircraft, is a huge loss to the country's fight against the sugencies. The Nigerian Air Force plays a huge role in this fight in many ways. What do we know so far about what happened before and after the crash in terms of the such-and-rescue efforts by authorities? Okay, so we know that the flight was going from Benin City to Lagos. Now, it's not meant to be a long flight, you know. Authorities say they control us lost contact with the plane the morning, or does a Monday when the crash eventually got announced. Locals told me they not only locals, we saw a bit of wreckage that was pulled out, and it was said that this flight was going on a routine mission. It's not entirely clear why there was a loss in contact. We also know that it was raining. In fact, while we were there, there were lots of times when it drizzled and it rained, and it drizzled and it rained.

7:40But it would be too early to say that this was a bad weather condition issue, or if it was a technical malfunction or the pilot's fault, you know, there are many unknowns considering that even up until now, the huge body of the plane hasn't been pulled out. So we can't even be talking about the machine or the box. So, but this is a bit of what we know. Right. Now, some have described this crash as one too many considering previous incidents. How prevalent is such an incident, and is there any pattern that has been established regarding military air crash such as this? On my part, I may not describe it as one too many. I mean, the last major incident Nigeria had relating to military aircraft was in 2021 or there about. But yes, this is quite a shock. You know, Nigeria has indeed experienced a number of military crashes in recent years that involved different type of aircraft. And it's been different situations. Some have been those going to combat operations. Some have been those going to training. Some have been those on routine flights, just like this one.

8:44So I think maybe when the investigation is done and it's ascertained what's the issue is it might be clearer to say, okay, maybe we need more training. Maybe we need to upgrade our flights or, you know, Titan, the Nigeria's safety processes. So I don't know if I'll call you once we made it, but I do note that Nigeria has recorded quite a couple of incidents. But this has been the largest in recent years. Right. Nigeria is facing huge insecurity challenges. We have cases of kidnaps of school children of, you know, young villages being rated and so on. Talk us through what these kind of incidents would do to military operations when it comes to combating insurgency and other forms of insecurity that the country is currently facing. When you think of the Air Force, the Air Force also needs, even if it's just not so, just to keep fighting this insurgency. And you from what we know, this particular flight is used in maritime surveillance, that surveillance, Nigeria's water bodies.

9:50A huge part of Nigeria's water bodies supports is trade supports is oil and gas supports many part of life even transportation. This is lots of threats from piracy to theft to armed groups. So this means that if the country loses manpower and equipment, it kind of makes this job tougher. And it's going to impact in ripple effect, many parts of the country's economy, the security situation and all that. Right. And finally, Makochi, President Tinibu has ordered full-scale investigation into circumstances surrounding these crash. Do we know how long this would take and you know how long till families know exactly what happened to their loved ones who were victims of this crash? It would be difficult to give specific timelines because even up until now, the country is still making effort to recover the plane or recover bodies. Because if part of the plane or recover it would really help with ascertaining whatever costs this.

10:51In previous incidents, there's been expand from weeks to months and I'm guessing this might be the situation, but with the way the government is putting lots of pressure on this, I don't think it's going to be as long as maybe three months. But I mean, this is not me giving an expert opinion, this is me just following the trends from past cases. So, in my just span within weeks or months. Many thanks to Makochi Okafo, the BBC's West Africa reporter. This is focus on Africa from the BBC World Service. Have you ever seen a place in Africa so beautiful that you thought, wait, why have I never seen this before? Africa is huge, diverse and full of incredible stories, but for many people around the world, the picture they see is still dominated by stories of conflict, poverty, hunger and crisis.

11:58Of course, those stories matter, but they are not the whole story. And now, a new generation of young African creators are trying to show the world a different side of the continent through travel videos, photography, food, fashion, culture and everyday life. My geran filmmaker and travel content creator, Ney Fagbemi, is one of those helping to change perceptions by sharing stories from across the continent. Growing up, I used to hear about a lot of all these places, but the issue was that there was no pictorial representation. And most of the time, all the stories that we've heard about all these places, they were told by people that came from outside of the continent to tell our own stories. So, we as Africans need to tell our own stories more, so that number one we can paint the true picture, and we can also tell the true stories about all these places, because no one can tell our stories more than us. His work reflects a growing movement of creators using digital platforms to tell Africa's stories.

12:58Among them is Lauretta Biran Sissé, a rising travel content creator in Liberia, who has been documenting and sharing stories from across Africa since 2022. I began by asking what inspired her to start creating travel content online. I was inspired to start creating content online about Liberia, because whenever I searched social media, I would see videos of Liberia, but only videos talking about wall, protest, violence, things that didn't represent the country that I know. And I realized that as a Liberian, I could showcase Liberia in a balanced way, so correct the narrative that Liberia is not just about wall, and protest, and violence, and to also show the beauty of the country. I ventured beyond Liberia because I also once said so to African stories, because I realized that only Africans can be able to tell African stories in the way that it should be told.

14:04I know earlier you said when you read up content or you watch content about Liberia and Africa, it was always centered about wall, about a certain narrative, conflict and all of that. What did those messages do to you and how did you feel about them and did they change your perspective in any way? I'm angry to a certain point because as a Liberian, I understand that my country has challenges, but there's also beauty. There are also so many good things about Liberia, about Liberia, and I want to showcase that. And it also inspired me to showcase my country, to tell my story, because I realized that if you want to tell your stories in a way that it should be told, you have to do it yourself. Because if you wait for people to come from outside to tell your stories, they're going to tell your story how they want it to be told. And that's not good. Right. And which countries have you visited on the African continent and what experiences have left the biggest impression on you?

15:07I have visited six countries. I'm a venture, Sierra Leone, Africa, Africa, Ghana, Togo, and Benny. And I would say Benny, honestly, and I want to move to Benny. You know what? I'm actually on your page right now. And I'm looking at the videos and the pictures that you took in Benny. And it looks amazing. I'm seeing you at this mighty statue. You also went to Wida. You went to Kotonud and the pattern temple. Yeah, the pattern temple. I'm seeing a python hanging across your neck. And I'm screaming and cringing right now. I don't know how you were able to stay still and pose for this photograph. But why do you think Benny stayed with you the most? Because of the development and the people, the culture, it is really, really amazing to see an African portrait that is promoting their culture, the way Benny is promoting their culture, especially the fact that it has to do with a long standing African tradition.

16:19You know, there are a lot of stereotypes when it comes to voodoo. I also did the voodoo market in Togo. And there were so many comments. People saying, go for a bait. People saying, Amen. People are only not to visit. And so to see those two countries and the way that they have held on to that tradition is so inspiring. And also, Kotonud is really clean. It creates the beautiful. Everywhere you turn, there is an ongoing development. And also, the food is good. It's also affordable. You get to explore a lot of tourist sites. Add no cost. That's hard to see. Africa is really, really hard. I need to go to Benny and learn French. You know, I'm Nigerian, even though I am currently in Kenya. And I have explored a few West African countries because I was the West Africa correspondent for the BBC. And I traveled quite a lot.

17:24But I haven't gone into Benny properly. I haven't really explored Benny. So you are marketing it to me in such a way that I feel like that's where I should be on my next holiday. But like you've mentioned, there are so many incredible places in Africa that even Africans do not know about. Why do you think these stories don't get enough attention? In order for stories to get attention, they have to be told. In order for Africans to tell African stories, Africans have to be able to travel within Africa. And I can tell you for a fact, traveling within Africa as an African is exhausting. It's also really expensive. I had a tickle flight from Liberia to Ghana because I couldn't travel from Liberia to Benny. The flight is crazy expensive. It's like a thousand five hundred US dollars US dollars. And from Liberia to Ghana, like less than two hours, I had to pay six hundred dollars to get a Ghana from Liberia. Wow. And then travel from Ghana to Benny by road.

18:26Not a lot of people are willing to go through that stress to reach Benny to tell the stories. You get. So and also the border process when you're traveling by road with in West Africa so far, it isn't easy. Especially you get to places and they're asking you to pay for passport stamps. And you're an eco-wise passport holder and you know it's illegal to pay for passport stamps. But you know, there is also a language barrier and if you don't pay, they hold you in your in a scrunched country. It's just a lot of complications, but I feel like if Africans can travel on the continent freely, we'll be able to tell African stories more. And Loretta, when young African craters show beautiful places, culture, and even everyday life on social media, do you think that can really change Africa's image? Like, you know, how you say Liberia, for instance, was perceived when you first started out? Yes. The more the more videos, the more the more pictures, the more we're able to tell our stories, the more the perception will be changed.

19:27Because everything is digital now. These big media platforms that are able to portray Africa in a setting light. They're also doing it on social media. So Africans can also do it in numbers on social media and is going to have a huge impact. Before I got to Benny, I saw Africans talking about Benny and I knew I had to visit. And then I came, I also told stories and now people are seeing the content that I created and they also want to visit Benny. I feel like that's how we start change. And as a woman, I'm still looking at your page right now and I see that you travel solo most of the time. Does that come with any challenge? Safety is one of the things that I really think a lot about. But I've come to understand there's only so much you can do as a person. And so one thing that I really do to try to keep myself safe is I don't post in real time. So when you see me post content from Benny, I'm already in Liberia. So even in Liberia and I'm posting content from Benny. So that's one thing that I've been able to do. Another thing is I try to play as much as I can book a commentation in places that I saved to a lot of research.

20:33I mean, when bad things are going to happen, they're going to happen. The master that preparation you do, but it's good to prepare also. And I've been lucky enough to meet really good people along the way in the countries that I visited. So that has been really, really good. And I've been safe throughout my travels. So thanks to God. Yeah. And the people have met. Yes. And what impact do you hope your work will have on perceptions of Africa looking ahead? When people see my work, I want them to be inspired to visit Africa. And not just to visit Africa, but I want them to ask themselves, what can my visit do in this particular community that I'm visiting? Because I'm big on responsible tourism and how travel can give back to the communities that we visit. If you go through my YouTube channel, most of the time when I visit places in Liberia, especially the rural paths, I try as much as I can to connect with my audience, especially librarians in a diaspora, so that we get to raise money to give back to the community.

21:38And also, I want women, African women, young women, to see the work that I'm doing, understand ideas, we can travel solo. They don't have to wait for people to go along. And I can also tell beautiful stories. In the small ways that they show up, they can impact their communities as well. Lauretta Biran Sisay, a librarian travel content creator there. And that's it on Focus on Africa today. If you'd like to give us feedback about the program or even suggest stories we should cover, our email address is focus on Africa at bbc.co.uk. You can also send us a message on WhatsApp. The number is plus 254-791-269-243. Also reach out to me on social media with the handle at I am Mkcchi.n and that's with Double-N. Now this episode was produced by Victor Chege in Nairobi while blessing a derogma and Ayuba Ilia put in efforts from Lagos.

22:38David Enzel is the technical producer while Priya C.P is the senior journalist in charge. Our editors are Charles Gitonga and Mariam Abdullah. I am Mkcchi Obun Take care. Thank you.