By John Ikani
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has confirmed the death of two officers in the crash involving one of its trainer aircraft in Kaduna State.
The aircraft, identified as a Super Mushak, crashed on Tuesday evening within the NAF base while on a training mission.
A Statement issued on Wednesday by NAF Director of Public Relation and Information, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet identified the officers as Flight Lieutenant Abubakar Alkali and Flight Lieutenant Elijah Karatu.
The two pilots who recently graduated from the Nigeria Defence Academy were among military officers who returned from Pakistan in April 2021, following a six-month training in the South-East Asian country.
The statement went on to note that the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Oladayo Amao, visited Kaduna on Wednesday to console families, friends and colleagues of the deceased, who have now been named.
Amao, according to the NAF spokesman, promised that the Air Force would ensure it thoroughly investigates the cause of the crash of the Super Mushshak trainer aircraft.
While in Kaduna, he assured the officers, airmen, and airwomen of 401 Flying Training School that all measures would be emplaced to avert a similar occurrence in the future.
It is worthwhile to note that in the past year, at least four Nigerian military aircraft have been involved in fatal crashes, including one that killed the country’s Army Chief and about a dozen other officers in May last year.
