Attahiru Died When his Services were Needed Most, Says Uzodimma

Defence Headquarters Begins probe into plane crash

Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State has expressed deep shock and regret over the death of the Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru and 10 others who lost their lives Friday when an Air Force Kingair 350 plane crashed near the Kaduna airport runway, saying the COAS met his untimely death when his services were badly needed.

Governor Uzodimma who described Lt. Gen. Attahiru as a gallant and intelligent officer said from the day he was appointed COAS on January 26, 2021, he showed signs of capacity to deal with the rising cases of insecurity in different parts of the country.

The governor described the day the ill-fated plane crashed as dark Friday, noting that Lt. Gen Attahiru’s career trajectory indicated that of an officer who was prepared to give his best to the country that also gave him the opportunity to be the best he could as a professional soldier.

He expressed regret that the lives of Lt.Gen. Attahiru and his colleagues were cut short in such a painful manner when their services were badly needed, and urged Nigerians to uphold the families they have left behind in prayers.

The Imo State Governor said his heart goes out to Lt. Gen. Attahiru’s family, the families of other gallant officers and deceased compatriots who also died painfully in the crash.

He also condoled the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, the Nigerian Army, and prayed God for the repose of the souls of the COAS and all those who lost their lives to the ugly incident.

Governor Uzodimma however said that because the deceased COAS and his colleagues paid the ultimate price pursuing peace, unity and security for the land in line of duty, patriotic Nigerians will forever remember their good works.

BMO Mourns Late COAS General Attahir, Other Fallen Heroes, Condoles with President Buhari

Also, the Buhari Media Organisation (BMO) has described the death by a plane crash of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Ibrahim Attahir, other members of his entourage and the flight crew as a tragic moment for the entire country.

In a statement by its Chairman Niyi Akinsiji and Secretary Cassidy Madueke, BMO condoled with the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Muhammadu Buhari, the Officers and Men of the Army and Air Force, and the families of the deceased officers, who died on active duty to secure our dear country.

BMO proudly recalls how the late General Attahir swung into action immediately after he was appointed Army Chief of Staff by President Buhari, rigorously applying himself to rid the country of criminality and defeating the insurgency. General Attahir offered no excuses or tried to buy time but instead injected intensity and urgency into the fight against the enemies of our country.

“General Attahir will be remembered as the quintessential warrior who took the battle to the bandits and put them to the sword. It was clear from the first moments of his brief stint as COAS that not only was he the best man for the job, but he was also roundly equipped and had a firm grasp of the nuances and exigencies of the battle he faced.

“Like a General with a sense of mission and no time to spare, he mobilised his troops and put in place adequate measures that countermanded the effrontery of the bandits, meeting them on their turf, inflicting heavy casualty on their ranks and systematically eliminating the threat they posed to peace and national security. To his eternal credit, numerous hot spots from where kidnapping and sundry banditry tormented ordinary Nigerians who could no longer travel freely across the country or perform their everyday chores, have been secured and free movement restored. In the few parts of the country where pockets of lawlessness still exist, there is no doubt our gallant military and other security agencies are now on top of the situation and steadily restoring normalcy. The bandits have lost a tormentor, but Nigeria remembers a visionary and committed officer who led from the frontline.

“We, therefore, urge Officers and Men of the Nigerian Army and the entire Air Force family to take heart and not to become despondent over the death of their Commander and comrades. They paid the ultimate sacrifice to keep our beloved country safer and more united. BMO believes that the most significant way to immortalise them is to relentlessly sustain the war against banditry and the insurgency until final victory is achieved”.

BMO fervently prays the Almighty to comfort the immediate families of the fallen heroes. “We pray to God to grant them the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss. They should take solace in the knowledge that their loved ones, in the finest tradition of brave warriors, fought their way to immortality; they paid the supreme price for the country they loved and served unreservedly and which they elected to defend with their lives.

Meanwhile, the Defence Headquarters, (DHQ), has begun an investigation to ascertain the cause of the military plane crash that claimed the lives of the COAS, and 10 others on Friday evening in Kaduna.

Attahiru Died When his Services were Needed Most, Says Uzodimma

Nigeria’s Army Chief, Attahiru Dies in Plane Crash

Uzodimma Calls for Prayers, Seeks Partnership with Church

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply