Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna state has lamented the death of Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru and 12 others in a plane crash near Kaduna Airport.
Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, who hails from Kaduna state, died alongside 10 other officers and the crew in an Air force aircraft crash Friday evening at the Kaduna Airport runway on their way to Kaduna.
Speaking in a statement signed by the Commissioner, Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs, Kaduna state, Mr Samuel Aruwan Friday night, El-Rufai described the late COAS, who was appointed in January 2021 as a shining star, who was striving to bring new drive to secure the country.
“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.
“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.
“Governor el-Rufai on behalf of the government and people of Kaduna state, has extended his condolences to President Muhammadu Buhari, all branches of the military, especially the Nigerian Army, and the family of General Attahiru, as well as the families of all the officers who have lost their lives in this national tragedy,” Aruwan said.
Governor el-Rufai prayed to Allah “to forgive their shortcomings and grant them eternal rest, and comfort their families as the nation, grapples with this colossal and very painful loss”.
El-Rufai mourns COAS Attahiru, other crash casualties
