Bashir Ahmad, personal assistant on new media to President Muhammadu Buhari, has confirmed the chief of army staff Lt.-Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru died in the military plane crash in Kaduna on Friday.
Shortly after the news broke, Mr Ahmad tweeted a heartbreak emoji with a picture of the army chief.
Minutes later, he posted a picture of Buhari decorating Attahiru, restating the extent of the loss with the words, “Painful! Painful!! Painful!!!”
Although, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has confirmed the air crash occured near the Kaduna International Airport, it remained mute on the army chief being among the deceased.
Qed.ng earlier reported that all eight persons onboard died in the ill-fated aircraft.
The latest crash is the third in three months involving NAF jets, raising questions about the safety of military aviation in Nigeria.
Attahiru’s death comes 24 hours after news of the alleged death of Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau broke.
Born on August 10, 1966, Attahiru hails from Kaduna North Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
He was a member of the regular course 35 of the Nigerian Defence Academy.
Before his appointment as the chief of army staff in January, he was the general officer commanding 82 division of the Nigerian Army, Enugu.
He was also a former theatre commander of the Operation Lafiya Dole.
