- In a gut-wrenching twist of fate, Chief Dr. Andy Ilabor, the father of the three souls lost in the 2005 Sosoliso plane crash, has passed on.
- Chief Ilabor, a steadfast follower of the Catholic faith hailing from Illah in Oshimili North LGA of Delta State, passed away quietly in his sleep, took his final breath last month.
After a span of eighteen years, Chief Andy Ilabor, the father of the three victims of the 2005 Sosoliso plane crash and former students of Loyola Jesuit College Abuja, has journeyed beyond.
Dr. Ilabor, a dedicated follower of the Catholic faith hailing from Illah in Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State,, peacefully passed away in his sleep on Monday, November 27th, 2023—just two weeks shy of the 18th anniversary of the tragic plane crash.
Tributes have poured in from friends, family, acquaintances, and colleagues, painting a heartfelt picture of the late medical doctor. Described as a man with a sweet disposition, a peacemaker, and a team player, Dr. Ilabor’s legacy extends beyond his professional realm.
“Sir Dr. Andy Ilabor answers the call to eternity – What a painful Sudden Death? The death of a quintessential Medical Doctor, an astute Politician and the immediate past Director General (DG) to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Dr. Andy Ilabor has occurred. Dr. Ilabor died early hours of Monday, 27th November, 2023,” one Onianwa Austin wrote.
His three children, Chuka, Nkem, and Buso, all students of Loyola Jesuit College Abuja, were aboard the ill-fated plane that crashed at the Port Harcourt International Airport on December 10, 2005, claiming the lives of 106 individuals, including their schoolmates.
Sosoliso Airlines Limited was a scheduled, domestic, passenger airline. The airline was established in 1994 and started operations in July 2000. It was grounded in April 2007 when the Nigerian government set a deadline of 30 April 2007 for all airlines operating in the country to re-capitalise or be grounded, in an effort to ensure better services and safety.