Olayemi Esan, Abuja
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) on Thursday buried the remains of the seven young Air Force officers at the National Military Cemetery in Abuja.
The seven young Air Force officers that died on February 21st, as a result of ill-fated NAF B350i aircraft that crashed in Abuja were buried with full military honours.
The Seven personnel are: Flight Lieutenant Haruna Gadzama (Captain), Flight Lieutenant Henry Piyo (Co-Pilot), Flying Officer Micheal Okpara (Airborne Tactical Observation System (ATOS) Specialist), Warrant Officer Bassey Etim (ATOS Specialist), Flight Sergeant Olasunkanmi Olawunmi (ATOS Specialist), Sergeant Ugochukwu Oluka (ATOS Specialist), Aircraftman Adewale Johnson (Onboard Technician).
SpyeTV reports that the family was presented with the national colours by the air chief. Also there the laying of a wreath and the firing of a volley by the Burial Party.
The Chief of Air Staff(CAS) wept uncontrollable while making his presentation at the burial ceremony..
AVM Amao, described the deceased as some of the finest officers in the service and prayed to God to console their immediate families.
Those in attendance at the ceremony include the Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi; Women Affairs Minister, Dame Pauline Tallen; Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed; the service chiefs, serving and retired top military officers, Senate and House Committees Chairmen on NAF, among others.
About seven Officers on Sunday involved in the crash with a Beechcraft KingAir B350i (NAF 201), while returning to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja after reporting engine failure enroute Minna, where it was scheduled to conduct surveillance missions over Niger State and its environs in connection with the concerted efforts to secure the release of the students/staff abducted from the Government Science College Kagara, Niger State.
The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Oladayo Amao, has since ordered an immediate investigation into the incident.
The CAS said the deceased persons had been in Minna, Niger State, for days conducting Intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions in connection with the efforts to secure the release of the 42 students and staff abducted from the Government Science College Kagara, Niger State.
See pictures from the Burial below:
