Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. General Ibrahim Attahiru was killed on Friday, in a tragic air crash.
The military plane, carrying Attahiru and 10 others crashed around 6pm on Friday. As seen in the video from the crash site, the plane exploded and was completely burnt, claiming all lives on board.
The aircraft, with registration number 5N-R203, was billed to land at the Nigerian Airforce Base in the Mando area of Kaduna before it diverted and attempted to land at the Kaduna International Airport.
The officers were said to be on their way to Kaduna ahead of Saturday’s passing-out parade of soldiers from the Nigerian Army Depot in Zaria.
Attahiru was among the new Service Chiefs recently appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari on 26 January, 2021.
Attahiru was born on 10 August 1966 in Doka, Kaduna North Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
He was a graduate of the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna State; Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji, Kaduna State and Nigerian Army School of Infantry.
He also held a Masters degree in Strategic Management and Policy Studies from the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna State. Others include, Masters of Science in Human Resources Management and Development form Salford University, United Kingdom and Graduate Diploma in international Studies from the University of Nairobi, Kenya.
He began cadets training in January 1984 and was enlisted into the Nigeria Army in 1986 as a Second Lieutenant.
Attahiru also served at various military appointments both in Nigeria and abroad during his military career. He had a tour of duty with the United Nations in Sierra leone as a Military Observer, in September 2000.
He served as an Operation Officer and also a Company Commander in NIBATT 19 ECOMOG Operations in Liberia.
He served at various military command in Nigeria during his command, which includes, a Commanding Officer 146 Battalion Nigerian Army (Operation HARMONY IV) in the Bakassi Peninsula; as a Commander 13 Brigade Nigerian Army, Operation PULO SHIELD; as a General Officer Commanding 82 Division Nigerian Army.
He also served as a Theatre Commander Operation LAFIYA DOLE, the Counter Terrorism and Counter Insurgency Outfit in North Eastern Nigeria. During his time as the Theatre Commander, the military recorded many victories which saw many Boko Haram fighters surrender their arms and ammunition.
He was also a Chief of Staff, 1 Brigade Nigerian Army Sokoto; a General Staff Officer Grade 1 Training/Operations at the Headquarters 1, 2 and 81 Divisions of the Nigerian Army. He was a Director Army Public Relations Officer; a Director staff Duties and Deputy Chief of Policy and Plans at the Army Headquarters.
