FCTA Offers Scholarship to Air Force Plane Crash Victim

By Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja

The FCT Administration has granted scholarship to a 15-year-old girl that was hit and injured on September 28 when two Nigeria Air Force fighter jets collided during rehearsals for Nigeria’s Independence Day celebration.

Miss Elizabeth Elijah received the grant up to university level when the FCT Director of Universal Basic Education Board, (UBEC), Dr. Adamu Noma, Director FCT Scholarship Board, Ahmad Rani, and Director of FCT Call Centre, Dr Jumai Ahmadu visited her Wednesday at the Maitama General Hospital, Abuja, where her family was handed a scholarship form for proper documentation.

Elijah, who hails from Kachia in Kaduna State, was in her father’s farm in Chikoko, FCT, on the fateful day when the air mishap that killed Squadron Leader Bello Mohammed Baba- Ari happened.

She was struck by debris from the crashed F-7 Ni fighter jet. She is being treated for shock and leg injuries. The chief nursing sister said she would be discharged soon.

Noma, who led the FCTA delegation to the hospital, said the scholarship will cover tuition, feeding, foot wears, books, uniform and other requirements in school.

He stressed that the FCTA would fund the scholarship for as long as she can go in her educational pursuit.

“FCT Administration has decided to take care of all expenses for her education. The scholarship will take care of all her schooling. As soon as she is discharged from hospital, the scholarship will commence,” Noma said.

Miss Elijah school education stalled four years ago and has been unable to further her education beyond primary six because of family poverty.

Her mother, Mrs victoria Elijah, said her husband was so poor he could not afford the transport fare from the Village to visit her daughter at the Maitama Hospital.

It would be recalled that Elizabeth was, after the incident, rushed to the Primary Health Care Centre Jikoko and was discharged, largely because of the then ongoing industrial action by the Nigerian Labour Union.