A list of officers who died in the military aircraft crash that occurred in Kaduna on Friday has been released.
The crash, which involved a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) aircraft, occurred on Friday evening near the Kaduna international airport.
Ibrahim Attahiru, chief of army staff, who was one of the victims, was said to be on his way to Kaduna to attend a passing-out parade for army recruits scheduled for Saturday.
The army had said all the 11 officers aboard the ill-fated aircraft died.
Bashir Ahmad, personal assistant on new media to President Muhammadu Buhari, shared a list of deceased officers on Twitter.
They are:
Lt. Gen. I. Attahiru
Brig Gen. M.I. Abdulkadir
Brig. Gen. Olayinka
Brig. Gen. Kuliya
Maj. L.A. Hay at
Maj. Hamza
Sgt. Umar
The crew members of the aircraft are listed as follows:
Flt. Lt. T.O. Asaniyi
Flt. Lt. A.A. Olufade
Sgt. Adesina
ACM Oyedepo
In a statement by Samuel Aruwan, commissioner for internal security and home affairs, the Kaduna state government expressed shock over the death of the officers.
“The Kaduna State Government has received with immense sadness news of the death of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, and other senior military officers in a plane crash which occurred in Kaduna on Friday evening,” Aruwan said.
“Governor Nasir El-Rufai said that Lt. Gen. Attahiru was a shining star whose sudden death has robbed Nigeria of an officer striving to bring new drive to secure the country against terrorists and other threats to national security.
“The governor said the news of General Attahiru’s death has left him deeply shaken, with a sense of great personal loss, coming so soon after his appointment had brought immense pride and a sense of hope to the people of Kaduna state.”
