By Adesuwa Tsan
365Daily – President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed deep sadness over the death of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, and other military officers who died in a plane crash on Friday, May 21, 2021.
The President condoled with families of the deceased, the military, and Nigerians in general, in a statement issued by his Spokesman, Femi Adesina on Friday night.
Describing them as “heroes who paid the ultimate price for peace and security in the land,” he prayed that God would “receive the souls of the patriots.”
The President said the demise of the military top brass “is one mortal blow to our underbelly, at a time our armed forces are poised to end the security challenges facing the country” and pledged that the departed would not die in vain.
On his part, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila, said he was shocked and saddened by the deaths.
Gbajabiamila said in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media, Lanre Lasisi, on Friday, that the death of the Army Chief was unfortunate and came at a time that the Nigerian military was finding solutions to the security challenges in the country.
He said: “Having taken over from the immediate past Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai, a couple of months ago, Attahiru has shown a lot of commitment in tackling the security situation in the country.”
The Speaker said Attahiru displayed professionalism in meetings they held in search of solutions to Nigeria’s security challenges and extended condolences to the Nigerian military, especially the Nigeria Army, for losing “a dedicated and committed senior officer whose services to fatherland will be sorely missed.”
The Speaker sent his condolences to President Muhammadu Buhari, the Nigerian military, and the Attahiru family over the loss. He prayed for the repose of the souls of Attahiru and the seven others.