Richard Ogunderu, leader of the Movement for the Advancement of Democracy, which hijacked a plane in 1993 in protest against the annulment of the June 12 presidential election, is currently bed-ridden.
Ogunderu led three other young boys to hijack the plane, although they were later overpowered by the police in Niger Republic, to which they diverted the Nigerian Airways plane.
June 12 election annulment in 1993, four Nigerian teenagers hijacked a Nigerian Airways airbus A310. The plane was diverted to the Republic of Niger.
They later served nine years in a Niamey prison in the West African country.
As many people, on Wednesday, however celebrated democracy, marking the revitalised June 12 anniversary, Ogunderu is currently in the home of a bone setter in Badagry.
Phenomenal.com.ng learnt that he was, in April, attacked by some youths in the French school area of Badagry after an argument.
Ogunderu’s father, Mr Yemi Ogunderu, confirmed the state of the son to phenomenal.com.ng, saying Richard needed help.
“He needs the assistance of whoever can help to get better treatment. His knee-cap was broken by the attackers. We have exhausted all we have, but his condition is still bad.”
Old Ogunderu further noted that Nigerian political leaders and activists abandoned the boys who, though took exuberant steps during the struggle, made a major sacrifice for democracy.
“It is true that the step they took was in the extreme. That must have been a product of exuberance. What is also bad is that those who backed them and the larger pro-democracy community and beneficiaries of democracy ought not to have abandoned them,” he said.
N a story on them in 2009, SaharaReporters had noted that they took the daring action on that afternoon when Chief Ernest Shonekan and his fidihe (interim) government was battling almost fruitlessly to salvage the floundering image of a nation then in turmoil.
It said, “The group joined the passengers in Lagos, their pony bags hung on their shoulders as they filed through the queue to board the plane from the local airport in Lagos. As the plane settled to cruise at about 30,000 feet above sea level and the pilot announced that passengers could loosen their belts, the boys blinked to each other on their seats, beckoning on the ringleader to strike. He did and the other hijackers, all in their teens, followed. They did not only seize the plane, they also held in awe all the bewildered passengers, some of who were business people or top government officials flying to Abuja, the seat of power.
“The boys cited the need to enthrone democracy and actualize the annulled June 12 election as the reason for what appeared a desperate action, quite strange to their social milieu. ‘Ladies and gentlemen, this plane has been taken over by the Movement for the Advancement of Democracy, remain calm, we will not harm you. You will be told where the plane will land you’ a gritty voice, not as sonorous as that of a pilot, echoed through the small speakers. Panic. Fear. Uncertainties. The air hostesses, Ogunderu recalled, were almost stone dead, having been gripped by fear. They must not move else they would ‘be dead.’ A passenger who was in the toilet was said to have remained indoor until one of the hijackers came to pull him out. Ogunderu said the action of the four boys, now men, was ‘meaningfully desperate..”
