Ibrahim Attahiru: Nigeria's top Army chief dies in plane crash

Nigeria's Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Ibrahim Attahiru, has died alongside 10 others in a military aircraft that crashed in Kaduna State on Friday, May 21, 2021.

The crash happened near the Kaduna International Airport on Friday evening, according to a brief statement by the Air Force.

"The immediate cause of the crash is still being ascertained," NAF spokesperson, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, said.

Other military officers that died in the crash are Brigadier General M.I. Abdulkadir, Brigadier General Olayinka, Brigadier General Kuliya, Major L.A. Hayat, Major Hamza, and Sergeant Umar.

The aircraft crew members that also died are Flight Lieutenants T.O. Asaniyi and A.A. Olufade, and Sergeant Adesina, and ACM Oyedepo.

Army spokesperson, Brigadier General Mohammed Yerima, said the team was travelling from Abuja to Kaduna when the crash happened.

"Details of the sad incident and burial arrangements will be communicated soon," he said in a brief statement.

Attahiru was appointed the top Army chief in January to replace the retired Tukur Buratai.

He had made numerous promises to improve the military's effectiveness, especially in the fight against Boko Haram terrorists in the north east region.

Friday's crash is the third aircraft of the Air Force that has crashed in the past three months.

Seven personnel were killed when a fighter jet crashed in Abuja on February 21 after reporting engine failure, and another one that went missing, with two personnel on board, on March 31 was presumed to have crashed.