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Mass burial for 56 in Nigeria's May 2002 plane crash in Kano; Obasanjo criticized, again, as 'insensitive' for not speaking with mourning families in Kano

Special to USAfrica The Newspaper, Houston
USAfricaonline.com and NigeriaCentral.com

56 of the individuals among the 149 who died in the BAC 1-11-500 EAS Airlines plane Crash in Kano, northern Nigeria, have been put in mass graves. "Most of them were just burned or mutilated beyond recognition," state commissioner for religious affairs Mohammed Tahir Agamou told Reuters.

Nigeria's Sports Minister Ishaya Mark Aku, the wife and son of retired Gen. Jerry Useni, count among the dead.

He left the country while a major violence erupted in the central Nigeria city of Jos where, at least 26 person were killed. It is a similar approach to domestic issues by the much-travelling Obasanjo especially his recent, controversial January 28, 2002: "Shut up... I don't need to be here..." comments at scene of bomb blasts which killed 1155 Nigerians.

He later apologized for his poor handling of the crisis, roundly criticized as reflecting insensitivity and nonchalance. Recent events have raised additional questions on his handling of such issues, even among his supporters. "They said he (Obasanjo) had other appointments. Maybe his appointments were better than us," said Habibu Yussuf Hibbu, standing in front of his ruined house, as quoted by Reuters. Obasanjo had said about the Kano tragedy: "I believe the accident happened because God allowed it." By USAfricaonline.com report Janet Samson

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