Herbert Wigwe, the CEO of Access Bank, and Abimbola Ogubajo, the bank's Head of Corporate Communications, were among the six people who were killed in a helicopter crash in the Mojave Desert in California [african.business]. The crash occurred on February 10, 2024, and the cause of the crash is still under investigation [westhawaiitoday.com].
The helicopter, which was en route to Boulder City, Nevada, from Southern California, crashed in a remote area near San Bernardino County [sbsun.com]. The identities of the other four victims have not been released [independent.co.uk].
The news of the crash shocked and saddened the Nigerian business community, with many paying tribute to Wigwe and Ogubajo. Wigwe was highly regarded in the banking industry and was known for his leadership and visionary approach. He had been instrumental in transforming Access Bank into one of Nigeria's leading financial institutions [thegrio.com].
The crash is believed to have been caused by bad weather conditions in the area. Witnesses reported heavy rain and poor visibility at the time of the incident [africa.businessinsider.com]. The investigation into the crash is being carried out by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) [npr.org].
Wigwe's death is a significant loss for Access Bank and the Nigerian banking sector as a whole. Under his leadership, the bank had expanded its operations both within Nigeria and internationally, making it one of the largest banks in Africa [sportskeeda.com].
The crash has received widespread media coverage both in Nigeria and internationally [bbc.com]. The Nigerian government has expressed its condolences to the families of the victims and has promised a thorough investigation into the incident [washingtonpost.com].
The loss of Herbert Wigwe and Abimbola Ogubajo has left a void in the Nigerian banking industry. Their contributions to Access Bank will be remembered, and their deaths are a great loss to the business community [huffpost.com].
Access Bank has set up a committee to handle the aftermath of the crash and provide support to the families of the victims [fortune.com]. The bank has also announced that it will hold a memorial service to honor the memory of Herbert Wigwe and Abimbola Ogubajo [reviewjournal.com].
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