The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, visited on Wednesday and commiserated with the families of the deceased crew members of the ill-fated MI-171E helicopter that crashed in the state of Niger on August 14.
Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Director of Public Relations and Information Edward Gabkwet, Air Commodore, made it known in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.
Gabkwet said the air chief visited the families in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
While expressing his condolences to the families on the painful loss, Abubakar said the loss was a major setback for the NAF, which would take the service some time to overcome.
He assured the families that the NAF will never abandon them but will always support them to the end.
He also assured them that the sacrifices of their loved ones would not be in vain and added that the NAF family, as well as all Nigerians, would forever remember them for giving their lives for the survival of the nation.
“NAF will always be with you and will support you until the end,” he said.
In another event, CAS, while interacting with officers and personnel from the NAF unit, thanked them for their commitment and efforts in the ongoing joint military operations in the Niger Delta.
He also assured them that the sacrifices of their fallen colleagues would not be in vain, adding that the service would do everything possible to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
According to the statement, the NAF MI-171E helicopter crashed while on a casualty evacuation mission in Niger on August 14, killing all passengers and four NAF crew members on board.
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“Deceased crew members include Flt.-Lt. Adamu Ibrahim, lieutenant-aircraft. Anthony Duryumus, Lance Cpl Alaribe Daniel and Lance Cpl Briggs Stephen Peter.
“It is also important to mention that two members of the NAF regiment, Corporal Jauro Amos and Corporal Lance Abdulrahman Abubakar, also lost their lives as part of the Nigerian Army personnel who were recently ambushed and killed by terrorists in the state of Niger.” Gankwet said.
(YAYA)
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