Nigerian reported to have died in Ukrainian air mishap says ‘I’m alive’

The only Nigerian who was reportedly onboard the ill-fated Ukrainian aircraft that crashed in Iran last week has dismissed the report of his death.

The 30- year-old said he was shocked when he discovered that his photograph was published as Dauda Onoruoiza who had died in the air crash.

Olayinka, who spoke with journalists from his lawyer’s office in Mushin, Lagos, on Wednesday, said the shocking report which was published on his birthday, January 10, 2020 by a media platform has caused his family huge trauma.

Adeleye, who is a head of department at the Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps (LNSC) in Odi–Olowo Ojuwoye Local Council Development Area (LCDA), said his colleagues now refer to him as “the man that died in the crash” while some resorted to calling him a “ghost.”

He said: “My immediate reaction when I learnt my photograph was published in one media outfit as the man that died in a plane crash in Tehran on my birthday was that of shock, fear and disappointment. Why should anybody wish a young man like me dead? I was even more disturbed when I learnt that my mother collapsed and was rushed to the hospital when she was told. She was told I died in an accident and they later explained to her it was a plane crash.”

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“She knew I did not travel anywhere yet the news devastated her. As I recovered from the trauma I had to do a video call for her to believe I was still alive. Those who are behind this have caused too much trouble in my family. What if my mother had died?”

Adeleye’s lawyer, Femi Martins, condemned the infraction as a dent on his client’s reputation and urged the security agencies to investigate the issue and call the media outfit involved to order.

Meanwhile, the manifest of all passengers and crew members onboard the Boeing 737 800 aircraft released by the Ukrainian International Airline and the Iranian Civil Aviation last Wednesday had no Dauda Onoruoiza on its list.

The Ukrainian Foreign Minister, Vadym Prystaiko, in a tweet insisted that the victims include 82 Iranians, 63 Canadians, 11 Ukrainians, 10 Swedes, four Afghans, three Germans and three British nationals.

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