President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday evening spoke on phone with Mrs. Fati Ibrahim Attahiru, the wife of the late Chief Of Army Staff, Ibrahim Atahiru.
The President also spoke with the spouses of the other deceased officers who lost their lives in the crash.
This development was confirmed in a Twitter statement by the presidency on Sunday evening.
The statement reads: “President @MBuhari has described Lt. General Ibrahim Attahiru, the late Chief of Army Staff as an outstanding soldier and an institution builder, who fought valiantly for Nigeria until he breathed his last.
In a telephone conversation Sunday evening with Mrs. Fati Ibrahim Attahiru, the wife of the late COAS and the spouses of the other deceased officers through her, President Buhari hailed the sacrifices of the military men who lost their lives and the Armed Forces in general saying that Nigerians will continue to appreciate and support the fearlessness with which our courageous soldiers are confronting the threats facing the nation.
He gave the grieving spouses assurances that the nation will never forget the supreme sacrifice of their spouses, urging them to take solace in the surge of extraordinary feelings of emotions across regions, religions &tribes all over the country in appreciation of their sacrifices.
The President, who had earlier given directives to the Defense headquarters and the Ministry of Defence to do everything a government can do to provide comfort and ease the hardships of the families of the deceased prayed to Almighty God to repose their souls and grant their families the fortitude to bear the losses.”
It will be recalled that the Chief of Army Staff, Ibrahim Attahiru died in a military plane crash that occurred in Kaduna State.
The incident occurred on Friday close to the Kaduna International Airport.
The President’s personal assistant on new media, Basir Ahmad also tweeted about Buhari’s call.
He wrote: “This evening, President @MBuhari spoke with Mrs. Fati Ibrahim Attahiru, the wife of the late Chief of Army Staff, and the spouses of the other deceased officers, PMB described the late COAS as an outstanding soldier, who fought valiantly for Nigeria until he breathed his last.”