Thanksgiving service held for VP 6 days after air mishap

On Thursday, June 7, a chopper conveying Osinbajo to Aso Rock from the Nigeria Customs Command and Staff College, Gwagwalada, Abuja, began emitting thick smoke shortly after take-off, and it was forced to make an emergency landing.

The Vice-President had attended the graduation ceremony of Senior Division Course 1/2018 participants at the school. He was flown to the venue by the same chopper.

A chaplain of Aso Villa, Seyi Malomo, on Monday hosted senior pastors of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, leaders from the Christian Association of Nigeria(CAN) and Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria(PFN) to thank God for sparing Osinbajo's life.

"Last week we received the news with shock that the vice-president’s helicopter engine failed," Malomo said.

"We thank God that preserved him. The preservation of the leaders is the preservation of the nation and as a result we want to thank God, so this programme was organised to thank God for his watchful eyes over our leaders, over our nation and more particularly over the deliverance for the vice- president.

"We will be spending 120 hours praising God, teaching about Thanksgiving, praying to God to bless Nigeria more, establish peace in Nigeria more, preserve our nation more, give us the victory that is needed.

"As we all know we are a nation that deeply loves God and a love for God that is also born out of deep appreciation because we know that God loves us too and his love for us manifest in his good works towards us."

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Shortly after the air mishap occurred, Osinbajo's spokesman, Laolu Akande had given "technical reasons" as to why the Vice-President did not fly the chopper back.

He said Osinbajo was driven back to the Presidential Villa.