Newly appointed Chief of Army Staff, General Ibrahim Attahiru, has died in a plane crash.
Although details of the incident are still sketchy, but a military source said that the plane crash tok place in Kaduna on Friday.
A Nigerian Air Force statement confirmed that there was an accident involving one of its aircraft in Kaduna, but did not go into details.
The statement, signed by the Force’s Director of Public Relations and Information, Edward Gabkwet, 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.”
A source said there were eight persons on board the aircraft.
Attahiru was appointed Chief of Army Staff on January 26, 2021.
Born 10th August, 1966 in Doka, Kaduna North Local Government Area of Kaduna State, Attahiru graduated from the Nigerian Defence Academy.
He commenced cadets training in January 1984 and was commissioned into the rank of Second Lieutenant in December 1986, as an Infantry Officer. He holds a Masters’ degree in Strategic Management and Policy Studies from the Nigerian Defence Academy.
General Attahiru has held several appointments on the staff, instructional and in command during his military career. He had a tour of duty with the United Nations in Sierra Leone, as a Military Observer, where he facilitated United Kingdom’s military engagement, Operation BARASS in September, 2000.
He was an Operation Officer and later Company Commander in NIBATT 19 ECOMOG Operations in Liberia.
Also, he had the unique privilege of having commanded with distinction all through the chain of command in the Nigerian Army.
Prominent among these appointments are: Commanding Officer, 146 Battalion Nigerian Army, Operation HARMONY IV, in the Bakassi Peninsula; Commander, 13 Brigade Nigerian Army, Operation PULO SHIELD; General Officer Commanding, 82 Division Nigerian Army.
He was one time Theatre Commander, Operation LAFIYA DOLE.
