Plane Crash Survivor Esther Alonge Shares Powerful Testimony at Hallelujah Challenge
- Esther Alonge shared at the Hallelujah Challenge how she survived an ADC plane crash in 2006 that killed 96 of the 105 people on board
- She was the only survivor among nine with no injuries, after a last-minute nudge moved her seat to the tail of the plane
- Her mother's prayers became a central thread in the testimony, drawing emotional reactions from thousands online
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Twenty years after walking away from a plane crash that claimed 96 lives, Esther Alonge stood on the stage at the Hallelujah Challenge to recount a survival story that has left thousands in tears as rthe video which was posted on October 30, 2026 trended.
Alonge was a 21-year-old corps member posted to Sokoto for her National Youth Service when the October 2006 ADC Airlines crash occurred.
Source: Instagram
Travelling to Abuja to visit a fellow corper for the weekend, she nearly sat in the middle of the aircraft before what she described as the voice of the Holy Spirit prompted her to move to the back row to sit with an acquaintance she spotted on board.
That decision saved her life. The tail section, where she was seated, was the only part of the aircraft that remained largely intact after the plane went down just outside Abuja's airport.
Of the 105 passengers on board, only nine survived. Esther was the sole survivor with no physical injuries.
Esther Longe: Mother's prayer, daughter's escape
Before Esther ever boarded a flight during her NYSC posting, her mother was already on her knees. Every Wednesday, her mother fasted from Monday, refusing to break the fast until she received word that her daughter had landed safely in Sokoto.
The weight of that vigil was not lost on Esther, especially given that her mother had previously lost a younger sister in a Kenyan air crash.
Source: Instagram
On the morning of the crash, Esther had woken at 5:30 a.m. for her quiet time and read from James 4:13–17, a passage about the brevity of life. Hours later, she was pulling fellow survivors from the wreckage in a muddy field while villagers rushed to help.
She recalled unlatching a woman whose wrapper had become entangled in a seatbelt, finding her with a broken arm and leg.
"At least you're alive," Esther told her. "They can fix your body."
Esther Longe: 20 years of sovereignty
Back in Abuja, CNN was already covering the crash the following morning. A friend who worked with an airline in Nigeria insisted Esther fly home rather than travel nine hours by road.
She wept from the moment she stepped onto the tarmac. At the end of that flight, the pilot announced over the intercom that he was dedicating the journey to her.
At home, her mother received her the same way she had sent her off months earlier, holding her, praying, and giving thanks.
Speaking at the Hallelujah Challenge event on the 20th anniversary of the crash, Esther said she was "overwhelmed by the sovereignty of God," particularly after hearing Apostle Joshua Salmon speak about uncommon preservation and divine favour the evening before.
Watch Esther Alonge share her full testimony at the Hallelujah Challenge here:
Fans and followers across social media responded with emotion:
@emmanuelosin wrote:
"Thank You Lord Jesus for Your Mercy"
@aderonkeagbaje commented:
"Thank you Jesus "
@emmylash1 said:
"May God be praised forever."
@mercya3931 wrote:
"God is sovereign over all, thank you Jesus."
@healthylifestylewithify added:
"Power of a praying mother"
@amauchevickey shared:
"Thank you Jesus for this great salvation"
@bu_jaks simply wrote:
"Wooow. God be praised."
Dele Omowoli shares testimony on Hallelujah Challenge
Legit.ng reported that Dele Omowoli shared how participating in the Hallelujah Challenge transformed his life and that of his family. In a video he posted, he revealed that he joined the Christian programme in February while praying for an opportunity to relocate abroad, trusting God to grant his heart's desire.
A few months later, Dele returned with a testimony, sharing a video of himself and his family in Canada. His story highlighted how he believed the Hallelujah Challenge played a significant role in the fulfilment of his relocation dream.
Source: Legit.ng
