Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has expressed grief over the death of 25 people in a Nigerian Air Force aircraft crash in Ondo State.
The aircraft crashed near Igbokoda in the Ilaje Local Government Area of the state, with airmen, soldiers and members of their families reportedly among those on board.
Atiku, in a statement issued by his Media Office on Monday, described the incident as a tragic national loss, saying the involvement of family members, including children returning to school, made the disaster particularly painful.
He said the victims included servicemen and women who were serving the country alongside their loved ones, whose lives were cut short by the crash.
“My thoughts and prayers are with every family that has lost a loved one. I extend my deepest condolences to the Nigerian Air Force, the Armed Forces of Nigeria, the government and people of Ondo State, and indeed the entire nation,” Atiku said.
The former Vice President prayed for the repose of the souls of the victims and asked God to give their families the strength to cope with the loss.
He also called for a thorough investigation into the crash, stressing that determining its cause would be important in strengthening aviation safety within the Armed Forces.
Atiku said lessons from the investigation should be used to prevent a recurrence and improve the safety of military personnel and civilians involved in military air operations.
