Family, friends and colleagues yesterday remembered the late Chief of Army Staff Lt Gen Ibrahim Attahiru and 10 others who perished in the ill-fated Nigerian Air Force Beechcraft B300 King Air 350i crash in Kaduna.
The aircraft crashed on May 21, 2021 near the Kaduna International Airport while the military officers were on their way to the passing out parade of regular recruits slated for the next day.
The incident happened only 115 days after Attahiru assumed office as the Chief of Army Staff, following his appointment by the President Muhammadu Buhari, on January 26 alongside the Chief of Defence Staff, Lucky Irabor; Chief of Naval Staff, Gambo Awwal, and Chief of Air Staff, Isiaka Amao.
The former Air Force director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, in a terse statement confirming the incident said, “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.”
But two years later, the cause of the crash was yet to be made public.
The director of public relations and information NAF, Air Cdre Ayodele Famuyiwa, when contacted said he was yet to get such information.
He however pledged to get back later when gets feedback from the relevant department handling the investigation.
He said “yes I’m aware today is the second anniversary of that crash because I’ve a course mate among and we have been sharing pictures and messages on our platform mourning them. I was not the spokesperson when it happened and I don’t have the outcome of the investigation but I’ll find out from the relevant department and get back to you”
Buhari, in a statement, described the crash as a “mortal blow … at a time our armed forces are poised to end the security challenges facing the country.”
Attahiru was, however, among prominent Nigerians who made the list of the 2022 National Honours Award.
He was posthumously awarded the title of Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic.
Last year, a foundation was established in his name and a memorial was held in his honour.
The event which was held in Abuja was well attended by prominent Nigerians who included the Nobel laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka; the Emir of Bichi, Alhaji Nasir Ado Bayero among others.
Eulogising the late army chief, Soyinka described the late army chief as a true Nigerian whose life should be emulated.
A major highlight of the memorial was the book launch on the life of the late Attahiru.
The book titled ‘The Man, The Soldier, The Patriot’ was written by Niran Adedokun.
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