Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, on Sunday, described the death of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Ibrahim Attahiru, and 10 others, including Oyo State-born Flight Lieutenant Taiwo Asaniyi, as a huge loss to Nigeria.
The governor, who stated this in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, commiserated with the families of the deceased soldiers, praying to God to grant them the fortitude to bear the losses.
Makinde equally condoled with the Armed Forces, especially the Nigerian Army and the Nigerian Air Force, who all lost men to the air accident in Kaduna.
The governor described the death of Asaniyi as a personal loss to him and Oyo State, urging the family to take solace in the Almighty, while praying God to console the family.
He said: “The deaths of Chief of Army Staff, Lt-General Ibrahim Attahiru, and 10 others in a plane crash in Kaduna came as rude shock.
“The deaths are painful and a great loss to our nation at this time when concerted efforts are needed to tackle insecurity.
“It is my prayer that God will console the families they all left behind.
“I particularly commiserate with President Muhammadu Buhari, the Armed Forces and especially the family of our brother, Flight Lieutenant Asaniyi, who is an indigene of Oyo State.
“Asaniyi’s passage to glory represents a personal loss to me and to the state, because he was one of the many professionals giving wings to Oyo State to fly to its premium place as a Pacesetter State.
“It is my prayer that God will console the families Asaniyi and others left behind and avert sad occurrences as this.
“I also bid farewell to the gallant men who served their country in wars but lost their lives outside the battlefields
“Adieu, great soldiers!”
