Nigerian Army Chief Lieutenant General Ibrahim Attahiru died in an aircraft crash on Friday, the Nigerian Air Force confirmed in its Twitter account.
"The Nigerian Army regrets to announce the passing away of its Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Ibrahim Attahiru. The sad event occurred following an air crash in Kaduna which also claimed the lives of 10 other officers including the crew", the statement said.
According to the army, the crashed plane was en route from Abuja to Kaduna.
The COAS was enroute Kaduna from Abuja on Friday, 21 May, 2021 when the unfortunate incident happened.
— Nigerian Army (@HQNigerianArmy) May 21, 2021
Details of the sad incident and burial arrangements will be communicated soon.
Mohammed Yerima
Brigadier General
Director Army Public Relations
21 May 2021
Earlier in the day, the death of Attahiru was reported by Reuters.
The country's air force released a statement on the crash shortly before the reports emerged, saying that it occurred near Kaduna International Airport. The cause of the incident remains unknown.
The air force had not initially provided any details on casualties or damage caused by the crash.
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.
— Nigerian Air Force (@NigAirForce) May 21, 2021
Edward Gabkwet
Air Commodore
Director of Public Relations and Information
21/5/21 pic.twitter.com/N01V2M6qUc
No further details were immediately available.
Kaduna is a city in northwestern Nigeria, and a state capital of Kaduna State.
