NIGERIA’S Chief of Army Staff Ibrahim Attahiru has died in a plane crash on Friday en route to Kaduna State.
The aircraft was said to be conveying the Chief of Army Staff and 10 others including three brigadier generals, two majors, two flight lieutenants, two sergeants and another crew member.
According to reports, they were traveling to Kaduna State for the passing out parade ceremony of newly recruited military personnel to be held on Saturday.
The Nigeria Airforce has confirmedthat a military aircraft crashed near the Kaduna International Airport on Friday evening.
A statement signed by the Air force spokesperson Edward Gabkwet read that the cause of the crash cannot be ascertained yet.
“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 statement read.
Attahiru was appointed as the Service Chief less than four months ago by President Muhammadu Buhari in a bid to rejig the fight against insecurity in Nigeria.
READ ALSO: Seven Air Force officers who died in plane crash buried in Abuja
Since January 2021, there has been three fatal aircraft that killed military personnel in Nigeria.
Earlier in February, seven officers of the Nigerian Air force died in a crash close to the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport in Abuja after reporting an engine failure en-route to Minna, Niger State.
Also in April, two pilots of the Nigerian Air force were killed after a fighter jet belonging to the Force went missing.
Spokesperson for the Nigerian Army, Mohammed Yerima did not respond to calls and text messages to confirm the incident.
List of the deceased include
1. LT Gen. I Attahiru
2. Bri. Gen. MI Abdulkadir
3. Brig. Gen Olayinka
4. Brig Gen Kuliya
5. Maj. LA Hayat.
6. Maj. Hamza.
7. Sgt. Umar.
CREW
8. Flt Lt TO Asaniyi
9. Flt Lt AA Olufade.
10. Sgt Adesina.
11. ACM Oyedepo
Lukman Abolade is an Investigative reporter with The ICIR. Reach out to him via [email protected], on twitter @AboladeLAA and FB @Correction94