Hadi Khatib
Daily Star staff

Najib Ibrahim, who says he jumped from a crashing Nigerian airplane last Saturday to become one of only two survivors, has reached near-celebrity status after his miracle “leap of faith.”
Not even a planned Israeli Army invasion into Gaza or Prime Minister Rafik Hariri’s return from his Asian trip could steal the headlines from Ibrahim’s return to Beirut on Thursday after his miraculous escape from the claws of death.
Last Saturday, shortly after take-off, a domestic Nigerian airliner carrying 75 passengers crashed into a working-class neighborhood in the northern city of Kano, taking almost as many lives on the ground.
“As the plane was lifting off the ground, I heard a crackling noise,” Ibrahim told The Daily Star on Friday. “Everyone in the plane looked at each other, but soon the noise disappeared. However, the plane felt heavy and it was losing speed.”
The next thing Ibrahim knew, the plane was skimming the tops of houses to the sound of tremendous crashing, as a wing and the door by which he was sitting broke off in the process. All without a single word of warning from the pilot or crew.
“This was not my assigned seat, but I chose to sit by the window where a seat was available,” Ibrahim said. “And seeing the plane engulfed in flames and smoke, I figured my only chance of survival was to jump through the huge hole that was created next to me.”
His 25-meter leap deposited him on a rooftop, from which he jumped to the ground with only minor burns on his hands.
“Then out of nowhere, I saw a Nigerian passenger on the ground (near) where I was who apparently had also jumped, but he had suffered severe burns on his neck, hands and underarms,” Ibrahim said.
The other survivor told him: “Thank God we’re alive,” as a “mob” of Nigerians gathered, staring at them in amazement, shocked into inability to react.
Not one to wait around for assistance, Ibrahim hopped onto a motorbike and drove to a nearby hospital for treatment.
Earlier reports said a stewardess had also jumped, but according to Ibrahim, the stewardess was pulled out of the rubble and later died at the hospital in which Ibrahim was treated.
“Two other survivors were also pulled from the wreckage, but they passed away on Wednesday,” he said.
Ibrahim’s return to Beirut was not quite as dramatic as his jump out of the crashing plane, but carried out on the same scale.
An convoy of six cars from Kfar Aqqa in Koura carrying Ibrahim’s parents and family tearfully greeted his airport arrival Thursday afternoon.
“No sooner had I arrived in my town … than I was received with a hero’s welcome as people carried me on their shoulders, playing drums, slaughtering two sheep, lighting candles and finally taking me into the church of Our Lady Kfar Aqqa and praying,” Ibrahim said.
Ibrahim has reached near-celebrity status after being showcased on newscasts and newspapers talking about his amazing survival, “but I’m just thankful to God for letting me live.”
Although large amounts of money are generally paid to compensate the families of crash victims, Ibrahim said he currently is not interested in any financial compensation from the airline.
“Yesterday was the first time that I slept without playing the whole scene back in my mind. This has haunted me day and night since the crash,” Ibrahim said.
He added that doctors found a small blood clot in his liver, “but they gave me medication for it, and I should be OK.”
As evident from Ibrahim’s aerial return to Beirut, the crash will not deter him from flying again.
“I fly as much as 50 times a year as part of normal business trips, and I have been in terrible stormy weather, but I have strong faith in God, and I am simply not scared,” he said.
Ibrahim emigrated to Nigeria in May 1997 and now works for SCOA, a multi-disciplinary company owned by Lebanese businessman Masaad Boulos who is involved in construction, heavy-duty equipment sales, the furniture trade, supermarkets and more.
In Nigeria, Ibrahim takes home $2,250 a month, but if offered half that amount, he would stay in Lebanon.
“Over in Nigeria you work to make money, but here I have a family. However, I think the job market is tough, and that’s why I originally left,” Ibrahim said.
He said he would not use his celebrity status to enter politics “because politicians talk but don’t take action,” but he did allude to the fact that many young women have suddenly shown great interest in him.
Ibrahim plans to stay in Lebanon for approximately three weeks.

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