Nigerian president replaces minister over plane crash tragedy

Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo on Thursday replaced but did not sack Aviation Minister Babalola Borishade, following a string of air crashes that have claimed hundreds of lives in recent months.

Borishade has swapped places with Culture and Tourism Minister Femi Fani-Kayode, the secretary to government, Uffot Ekaette, said in a statement.

Nigerian lawmakers had demanded the resignation of Borishade after the leader of the country's 50-million-strong Muslim community, two senators and 93 other people were killed when a Boeing 737 plane belonging to private airline ADC crashed on Sunday.

The accident, shortly after the aircraft took off from Abuja, was the country's third major civilian plane crash in little over a year.

The legislators pointed out that at least three fatal crashes had occurred under Borishade's watch and demanded his immediate resignation for "poor handling of the aviation sector".

The minister has blamed the pilot for the weekend crash, accusing him of ignoring advice from traffic controllers to abandon take-off because of bad weather.

Among those killed in the accident were the country's top Islamic cleric, Muhammadu Maccido, his senator son and a former president's son.

Police said the two black box flight recorders, one with audio from the cockpit and another with flight data, had been found and were being examined.

While Nigeria does not have the worst air safety record in Africa, nearly 1,200 people have died in more than 40 plane crashes since 1991. Accidents in December and October last year each claimed more than 100 lives.