President Bola Tinubu has mourned the Nigerian Air Force personnel who died following the crash of a military aircraft on Monday. In a personally signed statement issued on Tuesday, Tinubu described the incident as a painful moment for the Armed Forces and the country, noting that the personnel lost their lives while serving Nigeria.
The President reiterated his declaration of three days of national mourning and directed that national flags be flown at half-mast across the country throughout the period in honour of the deceased. He also expressed sympathy to the victims’ families, stressing that every military uniform represents a loved one expected home by a spouse, child, parent or sibling.
Tinubu said the Chief of Air Staff had briefed him on the incident and directed the Nigerian Air Force to immediately commence a thorough investigation into the cause of the crash. He also commended the Air Force for activating a search-and-rescue operation immediately after the accident and said the investigation would help prevent similar incidents in the future.
