October 25 in History: How 4 Young Nigerians Hijacked Nigeria Airways Flight for MKO Abiola

On October 25, 1993, four young Nigerians hijacked a Nigeria Airways flight from Lagos to Abuja and diverted it to Niamey, Niger Republic.

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The aircraft, Flight WT470, an Airbus A310, took off from Murtala Muhammed Airport at about 1.30pm with 137 passengers on board.

The four youths namely, Richard Ogunderu, Kabir Adenuga, Benneth Oluwadaisi and Kenny Rasaq-Lawal, all said to be in their early twenties, seized control of the plane.

According to sources at the airport, the hijackers claimed to be members of the Movement for the Advancement of Democracy (MAD).

They demanded the following: the immediate resignation of the Interim National Government headed by Chief Ernest Shonekan and the installation of Chief M.K.O Abiola, the presumed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, as President.

According to reports from Niamey, the plane landed at Diori Hamani International Airport at about 4pm local time after the pilot told the hijackers the plane needed fuel.

The hijackers had wanted to fly the aircraft to Frankfurt, West Germany.

By 7pm last night, 129 passengers including the Chinese Vice Premier, Mr Rong Yiren, had been freed. The crew and a few Nigerian officials remained hostage.

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