The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, has described as shocking and sad the death of the Chief of Army Staff, Ibrahim Attahiru (Lieutenant General)
and seven others in a plane crash on Friday evening in Kaduna.
Gbajabiamila said the death of the Army Chief was unfortunate coming 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.
Gbajabiamila, who said he had a few meetings with Attahiru in search of solutions to the challenges, noted that the late Army Chief came across as a core professional officer.
He said the Nigerian military, especially the Nigeria Army, has lost a dedicated and committed senior officer whose services to fatherland will be sorely missed.
The Speaker in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity,
Lanre Lasisi condoles with President Muhammadu Buhari, the Nigerian military, and the Attahiru family over the loss and prayed for the repose of the souls of Attahiru and the seven others.
Similarly, the House Committee on Army while expressing shock on the news of the sudden death of the Chief of Army Staff, Attahiru, said he was an energetic officer, who was committed to improving the security of the country, especially prosecuting the war against insurgency.
Abdulrazak Namdas, chairman of the Committee in a statement said in his brief stay in office as the COAS, Attahiru had a rolled-out plan on how to defeat Boko Haram and bring under control, other security threats, which the country faced in recent years.
The Committee noted that it is unfortunate Attahiru did not live to see the successful execution of his counter-terrorism strategies.
The Committee commiserated with the Nigerian Army, his immediate family and the Federal Government over this untimely incident, and prays the Almighty God to grant his soul and the souls of all other passengers, who died in the air mishap, eternal rest.
It urged the hierarchy of the Nigerian Army and all gallant officers and men to remain focused and re-commit themselves to the task of safeguarding the territorial integrity of Nigeria.
