The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) and a former governor of Kaduna state, Alhaji Ahmed Makarfi has condoled President Muhammadu Buhari over the death of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru and 10 others in an aircraft on Friday in Kaduna.
In separate statements issued on Saturday in Kaduna, they described the late army chief as a promising officer who was determined to reposition the army to address the security challenges bedeviling the country.
The ACF in its statement expressed commiserated with President Muhammadu Buhari over the incident.
The statement signed by the Chairman of the forum and former Minister of Agricultural, Chief Audu Ogbe, said the ACF was beginning to appreciate Attahiru’s new approach to tackling the multiple security challenges “when the news of his tragic death hit us.”
“On behalf of the Arewa Consultative Forum, I wish to condole with the President, Commander – in – Chief over the tragic death yesterday of the Chief of Army Staff General Ibrahim Attahiru and 10 others in an air crash”, the statement said.
Ogbe said, “The death of these gallant officers in active service has come as a tragic news to all members of the ACF.
“We remember that only recently, the President appointed General Ibrahim Attahiru with other service chiefs to lead the fight against insurgency and all other forms of threats to our collective national security”.
According to the statement, the ACF was “just begining to appreciate his new approach to tackling our multiple security challenges when the news of his tragic death hit us.”
Ogbe said, “since then we have been praying at the ACF that God will grant the President, the army high command, the rank and file, the fortitude to bear this tragic loss.
“We similarly pray for the other gallant members of the Armed forces who lost their lives.
“We condole with members of their families in this their hour of distress and emotional trauma.
“Only God can alleviate the pains they are facing now.
We pray that our Lord God grants our President the wisdom to select suitable replacements for the heroes departed, particularly for the Chief of Army Staff.
“The security situation we find ourselves in Nigeria today calls for the best, nothing but the best”, the statement said.
On his part, Makarfi described the late Attahiru as a thorough bred officer who was determined to reposition the Nigerian army to confront the nation’s security challenges.
In a statement on Saturday in Kaduna, Makarfi said news of the death of Attahiru, his entourage and others in an air crash on Friday was shocking.
He expressed his heartfelt condolences to the families of all the deceased, President Muhammadu Buhari and members of the armed forces of the country and indeed all Nigerians over the unfortunate losses.
“News of the death of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen Ibrahim Attahiru and his entourage in an air crash in Kaduna, yesterday came to me as a shock. But as people of faith, we don’t question the will of God; we submit to it.
“A thoroughbred officer and gentleman, General Attahiru had taken off with a lot of promise as the head of the Nigerian Army, to reposition it to more effectively confront the nation’s current challenges.
“But God knows best. The greatest honour his colleagues can do him and the others is to be more dedicated to the cause that they died fighting,to ensure that they did not make the supreme sacrifice in vain.
“I send my heartfelt condolences to the families of all the deceased, President Muhammadu Buhari, Minister of Defence, Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of Air Staff, the entire members of the armed forces of the country and indeed all Nigerians over these very unfortunate losses.
“It is my earnest prayer that God in His infinite mercy will grant eternal rest to their souls and also grant their families and all of us the fortitude to bear the losses”, Makarfi said.
