President Muhammadu Buhari has expresed deep sadness over the air crash that claimed the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, and other military officers.
The President, in a release Friday night by his Media Adviser, Femi Adesina, condoled with families of the deceased, the military, and Nigerians in general, describing the late senior Army officers as “heroes who paid the ultimate price for peace and security in the land.”
While praying that God receives the souls of the patriots, the President says the crash “is one mortal blow to our underbelly, at a time our armed forces are poised to end the security challenges facing the country.”
President Buhari pledged that the departed would not die in vain.
The President’s statement is the first offficial confirmation that the Army chief died in the ill-fated flight.
The Nigeria Air Force had earlier issued a statement confirming the crash of one of its aircraft near Kaduna on Friday evening. The statement did however not disclose the identities of those onboard.
The Nigeria Army had yet to speak on the tragic incident.