The Chief of Air Staff,Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, has explained that the five Nigerian Air Force personnel died in helicopter crash on January 2,at Damasak,Borno State, while pursuing Boko Haram terrorists in their vehicles. Remains of the five Nigerian Air Force officers being laid before their burial at the Military Cemetery, Karmajiji in Abuja on Tuesday (8/1/19). The officers died in a plane crash on Jan. 2, 2019, in the cause of their duty at Damansak in Borno.
The explanation came as tears flowed freely Tuesday,at the National Military Cemetery,Abuja,as the remains of the five Air Force personel were buried. Air Marshal Abubakar, speaking at the emotion-laden event, attended by the wives and family members of the deceased officers, said the five military personnel, comprising two pilots and three crew members,lost their lives in combat while in pursuit of Boko Haram terrorists in their vehicles.
The explanation came as tears flowed freely Tuesday,at the National Military Cemetery,Abuja,as the remains of the five Air Force personel were buried. Air Marshal Abubakar, speaking at the emotion-laden event, attended by the wives and family members of the deceased officers, said the five military personnel, comprising two pilots and three crew members,lost their lives in combat while in pursuit of Boko Haram terrorists in their vehicles.
Representative of President Muhammadu Buhari and Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan-Ali,the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, among many others were also at the burial site,located along Airport Road,Abuja. Boko Haram: No survivor in Wednesday’s helicopter crash – NAF He said:”While we mourn the death of our departed heroes and these courageous Nigerians,we must also be thankful to God that such men lived.
“In their last moments, these heroes showed courage, diligence and unparalleled commitment to pursue the terrorists’ vehicles and fight them to finish so that the lives of our soldiers of 145 Battalion Damasak could be saved. “We cannot but be more thankful for these great Nigerians.” Even as he expressed sadness over their deaths, Abubakar hailed their courage, saying they were demonstrated patriotism in their services to their fatherland. He said in spite of the sad development,the Nigerian Air Force in particular and the Nigerian military as a whole will not relent in the avowed determination to see to the total annihilation of insurgence and terrorism in the country, insisting that the military was rather emboldened to go all out for the terrorists.
He said:” These gallant heroes lost their lives in the pursuit of the peace which we all enjoy and often take for granted. We salute the courage of these young men, whose lot it became to give their lives for this purpose. “The loss of these courageous and professional gentlemen must spur the rest of us not only to rededicate ourselves in the service of our nation, but also to resolve that we expose and fight all agents of destabilization and extremism in our society.
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