President Muhammadu Buhari says putting an end to the current security challenges, especially winning the war against insurgency would be the best way to honour Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff, the late Lt. General Ibrahim Attahiru and all those who died with him.
Chief of Staff to the President, Professor Ibrahim Gambari revealed this in an interview with State House Correspondents soon after the President was briefed on the tragic loss on Friday night.
Gambari said the Nigerian leader expressed sadness over the death of the gallant officers who died in a plane crash on Friday.
He said: “He is deeply shocked and saddened that they died in active service but that their death will not be in vain because of what they stood for. The end of all these security challenges would be the best way of honouring their service to the nation.”
The Chief of defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor, simply described the death of the Chief of Army Staff as a very sad incident.
“Well, very sad; it is quite a sad development and of course the values that they stood for are values that we cherish as members of the Armed Forces,” he said.
Minister of Defence, Bashir Magashi, who led the delegation to the State House, summed up reasons for their mission to the seat of power this way:
“What brought us here is to formally inform the President of the death of the Chief of Army Staff which occurred today around 6:00 Pm-local time.
“We have also come to pay our condolences to the President and inform him of the preparations for the burial of the Chief of Army Staff and the 11 other officers and soldiers.”
The Chief of Army Staff died on Friday May 21, in a plane crash that also claimed the lives of all those on board the aircraft.
Nneka Ukachukwu
