Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff and 10 Other Officers Laid to Rest
Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff and 10 other officers laid to rest on Saturday the 22nd of May, 2021 after the plane crash took their lives.
The remains of the late Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Ibrahim Attahiru, and 10 other officers who lost their lives in a plane crash were laid to rest at the National Military Cemetery, Abuja on Saturday.
The crash happened on Friday the 21st of May, 2021 in Kaduna.
The names of the other officers who died are Brigadier-General MI Abdulkadir, Brigadier-General Olayinka, Brigadier-General Kuliya, Major LA Hayat, Major Hamza, and Sergeant Umar.
The pilots named Flight-Lieutenant TO Asaniyi, Flight-Lieutenant AA Olufade, Sergeant Adesina, and ACM Oyedepo, also passed on due to the plane crash.
Their remains were transported from the 44 Nigerian Army Referral Hospital, Kaduna to the National Mosque and the Nigerian Air Force Protestant Church in Abuja for prayers.
Their bodies were later moved to the National Military Cemetary for the interment ceremony.
The burial ceremony started with the reading of a profile of the late COAS at about 2.50 pm.
A moment of silence was also observed after which the fallen officers were honored with a 21-gun salute
Some dignitaries who attended the event are Senate President, Ahmad Lawan; the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha; the Chief of Defence Staff, General Leo Irabor; the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Isiaka Oladayo Amao; Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, and many others.
We recall that Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff, Lt General Ibrahim Attahiru died in an air crash at about 6:00 p.m. on Friday, 21st of May, 2021.
A military Beachcraft 350 carrying him went down at the Kaduna International Airport on Friday, claiming the lives of all the passengers on board.
The top military officer was in Kaduna on an official trip. It was gathered that Attahiru’s assistants passed away with him.
In confirmation of the unfortunate incident, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, Nigerian Air Force Director of Information confirmed made the following statement:
“An air crash involving a @NigAirForce aircraft occurred this evening near the Kaduna International Airport.
“The immediate cause of the crash is still being ascertained. More details to follow soon”, the spokesman noted.
The Commissioner, Accident Investigation Bureau, Akin Olateru, confirmed eight people died.
“Beachcraft 350. 8 souls on board. Unfortunately all dead,” Olateru said.
Attahiru was one of the Service Chiefs appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari in the month of January 2021.
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