USA : The boss of Nigeria’s largest bank died in a helicopter accident
Access Bank Group CEO, Herbert Wigwe, « passed away alongside his wife and son on Friday, February 9, 2024, in a helicopter accident in the United States », the group stated in a press release. U.S. authorities indicated that two crew members and four passengers were killed in the accident.
Nigerian Head of State, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, declared that former Nigeria Stock Exchange President, Abimbola Ogunbanjo, was also among the deceased, describing the accident as « an overwhelming tragedy beyond comprehension. » « The President extends his condolences to the Wigwe and Ogunbanjo families, the business community, and all affected by this accident », his spokesperson added in a statement on Sunday.
Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Nigerian Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, expressed on social media her « deep sadness at the news of the tragic loss of Herbert Wigwe, CEO of Access Bank Group, his wife and son, as well as Bimbo Ogunbanjo, in a helicopter accident ».
« An Eurocopter EC 130 helicopter crashed near Nipton, California, around 10 :00 p.m. local time on Friday, February 9th. Six people were on board », stated the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on its website, without naming the victims. It noted that an investigation would be launched.
Michael Graham, a member of the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board, explained during a press conference on Saturday that the helicopter had taken off from Palm Springs, California, bound for Boulder City, Nevada.
Approximately 90 minutes after takeoff, « the helicopter crashed to the ground south of I-15 near Halloran Springs, California », he specified.
