President Muhammdu Buhari has expressed shock over the death of Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, and ten other officers who died in a military aircraft crash in Kaduna on Friday.
The military aircraft crashed near the Kaduna international airport, killing Attahiru and the other officers onboard.
The President, in a statement by his spokesman, Femi Adesina, described the incident as a “mortal blow to our underbelly, at a time our armed forces are poised to end the security challenges facing the country”.
Buhari promised that the officers would not die in vain.
“President Muhammadu Buhari is deeply saddened over the air crash that claimed the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, and other military officers,” the statement reads.
“The President condoles with families of the deceased, the military, and Nigerians in general, describing them 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.’
“The President pledged that the departed would not die in vain.”
Attahiru was appointed as army chief in January this year.
He was 55 years old.
