UPDATE 2: Special Assistant to the President on New Media, Reno Omokri, has deleted the tweet with which he confirmed the death of Governor Danbaba Suntai.

He had tweeted, “May the soul of the late departed Governor, Danbaba Suntai, of Taraba State rest in peace and may God grant the state peace this trying time,” he said.

But when we checked his twitter handle at 9.25 p.m., the tweet was no longer there.

UPDATE 1: More reports reaching us from Taraba State indicate that the state government has issued a press release confirming the presence of the governor on the plane that crashed in Yola, Adamawa State, but saying the governor was not dead.

The governor was flying the private jet that had four other passengers. All were injured, but none of them died, the statement reportedly said.

The governor is believed to be the most badly hurt but is not dead and is currently receiving treatment at the General Hospital in Yola, a source that has seen the statement told us via telephone.

A rescue operative at the scene also said that none of the occupants of the plane died.

The Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria has also promised to issue a statement soon.

We will provide more details as events unfold.

A presidency spokesperson, Reno Omokri, had earlier tweeted, confirming the governor died in the crash.

– Premium Times