Abuja NAF Plane Crash: Saraki Expresses Sadness, Wants Late Pilot Immortalized

President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has commiserated with the Nigerian Air Force and the family of the pilot who lost his life during a crash in Abuja on Friday.

Saraki in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, described the dead pilot and his colleagues who partook in the flying rehearsal ahead of the nation’s 58th Independence anniversary on Monday as “true heroes dedicated to their national calling.”

He lamented the incident and called for special recognition for all the officers – both dead and alive – who partook in the unfortunate national assignment.

Saraki said: “I am saddened over the tragic crash of two Nigerian Air Force fighter jets in Abuja that led to the loss of an officer and injuries on others.

“The affected officers are true heroes among countless other military personnel who continue to put their lives on the line to defend and make the country proud.

“Nigeria has lost a truly dedicated and patriotic Officer. The departed officer and his colleagues who survived the unfortunate crash deserve special recognition and place in annals of the nations’s military history”.

He, however, lauded the Nigerian Air Force and other security agencies for the prompt and successful rescue mission which has helped to preserve the lives of other personnel on the rehearsal mission.