Investigation ongoing after Dunamis church disclaims responsibility for plane that crashed onto highway

The Concerned Christian Youth Forum, also known as CCYF, has come out to refute a claim that a private aircraft, bearing the registration number N989BC, which made an unexpected landing on a road in Ogwashi-Uku, Delta State, is owned by Dunamis International Gospel Centre, as reported by David Nnasom and Dickson Omobola.

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In a statement released on Friday, CCYF asserted that Dunamis International Gospel Centre has always maintained it does not possess a private aircraft, despite having the financial capacity to acquire one for evangelism purposes if needed.

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A church source also denied the report, stating that the church has never claimed ownership of any aircraft, and that members sometimes donate funds for the church's leader to use an aircraft for special crusades, adding that the aircraft is not registered under the church's name.

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James Adama, the convener of CCYF, emphasized that the claim is entirely fabricated and highlights the spread of reckless misinformation aimed at misleading the public.

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Adama further cautioned that disseminating false information that damages the reputation of individuals or organizations can be considered an offense under Nigerian law, and the statement serves as a formal notice to disregard the publication as false and malicious.

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The church warned that it reserves the right to pursue legal action against those who intentionally spread false information to harm its reputation, and urged media outlets and individuals to verify information through official channels before publishing.

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On Thursday, the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau, or NSIB, retrieved the Cockpit Voice Recorder and Flight Data Recorder from the aircraft with the registration number N989BC.

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The NSIB announced that its activities would encompass analyzing the recovered flight recorders, examining technical and operational records, and conducting interviews, as experts in the air transport sector advised against speculation until the investigation is complete.