The office of the Presidency has confirmed the military plane crash in Kaduna this week, stating that two officers – Lieutenant Abubakar Alkali and Flight Lieutenant Elijah Haruna Karatu – died in a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) flight.
This was disclosed on Wednesday evening by Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to the Presidency on Media and Publicity.
President Buhari called for more safety measures to forestall tragic incidents of this kind.
What the Presidency is saying
The Presidency said that President Muhammadu Buhari is mourning the tragic and unfortunate death of two officers in a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) plane crash in Kaduna.
Reacting to the death of Flight Lieutenant Abubakar Alkali and Flight Lieutenant Elijah Haruna Karatu, the President said, “I am shocked beyond words by the demise of these two promising young men who risked their lives in the service of the country.
“There is no reward big enough to pay for the services of these young and dedicated professional airmen in the service of their country.”
While extending his sympathies to the Chief of Air Staff and the families of the deceased, President Buhari called for “more safety measures to forestall tragic incidents of this kind.”
“I welcome the decision by the NAF authorities to investigate this accident, but I also call on them to publish and implement the recommendations of the reports of past investigations into air accidents, with a view to preventing future tragedies and putting closure to the families and friends of the deceased,” the President added.
What you should know
- The recent crash comes after a series of Air Force plane crashes last year. It would be recalled that around May 2021, Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff, Ibrahim Attahiru was killed in a plane crash.
- Attahiru and seven other military chiefs were on the Military Beachcraft 350 aircraft before it crashed somewhere in Kaduna.
- Prior to Attahiru’s crash, two other military aircraft crashes had occurred in the same 2021.
- On Sunday, February 21, 2021, seven NAF officers died onboard a Beechcraft KingAir B350i aircraft when the jet crashed in Abuja.
- Also, on Wednesday, March 31, 2021, NAF spokesman, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, said an Alpha-Jet aircraft was involved in the anti-terror war against Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province lost radar contact in Borno State.
Deep, deep sorrow tragedy. We are losing the best of our future generation. May their souls rest in perfect peace.