How Former Chief of Army Staff , Attahiru Was Killed Through Plane Crash - Retired General

Ibrahim Attahiru: Sacked For Not Capturing Shekau, Recalled Months After

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The death of The Chief of Army Staff, Ibrahim Attahiru came as a shock to many and is defiantly a big loss to the nation.

It will be recalled that Late Lieutenant General Ibrahim Attahiru was in 2017 sacked as Nigeria’s military commander leading the fight against the Boko-Haram insurgency for alleged incompetence and failure to capture the then leader of the sect, Abubakar Shekau.

The insurgents have been raining terror in different parts of the country, particularly in the North East region, since 2014, killing in hundreds and displacing people in thousands. But Attahiru, who was the made the Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole in May 2017, was recalled seven months after because of the rise in suicide bombings and attacks on military formations under his watch.

Read Also: FACTS You Need To Know About The Late COAS, Ibrahim Attahiru

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He was then replaced with another general, Nicholas Rogers. However, in what appears to signal a new twist to Nigeria’s fight against insurgency, Shekau, the Boko Haram leader reportedly died in an invasion of his camp by Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) on Wednesday.

Two days after Shekau’s death, Attahiru, who had barely spent five months as the Chief of Army Staff, died in a plane crash alongside ten others including top military officers and crew members. They were travelling on a Nigerian Air Force Beechcraft King Air 350 on an official visit to Kaduna state, where they were billed to attend the Passing out Parade of some new officers on Saturday.

Although many Nigerians have posited that there is more to what meets the eye, the Nigerian authorities said it has commenced a full-scale investigation to ascertain the cause of the crash.

The fallen soldier who wanted to annihilate Boko Haram

The military commander, upon his assumption to the office of COAS, did not allow his past record of failure to haunt him. In fact, earlier in April, he reiterated the commitment of the army to the total annihilation of Boko Haram from Nigeria.

The insurgents have been raining terror in different parts of the country, particularly in the North East region, since 2014, killing in hundreds and displacing people in thousands.But Attahiru, who was the made the Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole in May 2017, was recalled seven months after because of the rise in suicide bombings and attacks on military formations under his watch.

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Watch The Video Of Plane Crash That Killed COAS, Ibrahim Attahiru

He was then replaced with another general, Nicholas Rogers. However, in what appears to signal a new twist to Nigeria’s fight against insurgency, Shekau, the Boko Haram leader reportedly died in an invasion of his camp by Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) on Wednesday.

Two days after Shekau’s death, Attahiru, who had barely spent five months as the Chief of Army Staff, died in a plane crash alongside ten others including top military officers and crew members. They were travelling on a Nigerian Air Force Beechcraft King Air 350 on an official visit to Kaduna state, where they were billed to attend the Passing out Parade of some new officers on Saturday.

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Although many Nigerians have posited that there is more to what meets the eye, the Nigerian authorities said it has commenced a full-scale investigation to ascertain the cause of the crash.

The fallen soldier who wanted to annihilate Boko Haram

The military commander, upon his assumption to the office of COAS, did not allow his past record of failure to haunt him. In fact, earlier in April, he reiterated the commitment of the army to the total annihilation of Boko Haram from Nigeria.

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He held a Masters degree in Strategic Management and Policy Studies from the Nigerian Defence Academy. Others include, Masters of Science in Human Resources Management and Development from Salford University in the United Kingdom and Graduate Diploma in International Studies from the University of Nairobi, Kenya.

Asides from attaining the highest office in the Army, he had several honors and awards.

He was a highly decorated officer with UNAMSIL Medal, ECOMOG Medal, Forces Service Star, Meritorious Service Star, Distinguish Service Star, Grand Service Star, Corp Medal of Honour, Command medal, Field Command Medal, and Field Command Medal of Honour.

Source: Politicsnigeria.com

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