Press Release

Statement of Assistant Secretary Frazer at October 24 Press Conference in Abuja

October 24, 2005

Before discussing my trip, I would like to express my profound sympathy and condolences to President Obasanjo and his family at the loss of First Lady Stella Obasanjo. I would also like to extend condolences to the families of the victims of the Bellview flight that crashed at Ifo. The Embassy is directly affected by the crash because it was confirmed yesterday that Maj Joseph Haydon, the head of the Office of Defense Cooperation, was among the passengers. A team of Embassy officials, including the Lagos Security Officer, visited the crash site yesterday afternoon and will go again today. In the meantime, US military officials are working to support his family members in Nigeria and in the United States.

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