The Muslim Congress (TMC), a faith-based organisation, has consoled President Muhammadu Buhari and the Nigeria Military over the death of 11 military personnel in a plane crash on Friday in Kaduna.
This is contained in a condolence message by Alhaji AbdulWaasi’i Bangbala, the Amir (President) of the TMC, to the Federal Government and the Nigerian Defence on Tuesday in Lagos.
Bangbala called for a thorough investigation into the cause of the crash of a military Beechcraft King Air 350i that killed the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen Ibrahim Atahiru and 10 others at the Kaduna International Airport.
Bangbala said that an inquest into three air mishaps within a three months interval should provide a panacea stem future occurrence.
“We received the shocking news of the unfortunate with shock and we use this opportunity to commiserate with the wives, children and extended family members of our fallen heroes.
“We also commiserate with their professional colleagues in the army and the entire Nigerian Armed Forces.
“May Allah give all of you the grace and fortitude to bear the irreparable loss. Amin,’’ the TMC president stated.
The organisation also expressed our heartfelt condolences to President Muhammadu Buhari and his vice, Yemi Osinbajo.
“We commiserate with all Nigerians on the death of our military heroes who have paid the supreme price in the course of protecting the dignity and integrity of the nation.
“Though a very unfortunate incident, it is consoling that they died in active service to the nation.’’
Bangbala charged all Nigerians to do all that is humanly possible to “discharge of our duties and responsibilities in providing effective, efficient, qualitative and reliable services in all areas of human life’’.
He said that every citizen should continue to contribute their quota to the development of the country being all stakeholders in the ‘Project Nigeria’.
“We urge the Nigerian Air Force to investigate the cause of this recent plane crash alongside the other two plane crashes that occurred in the last three months.
“A probe of the aircraft should also help to determine the next course of action in preventing the air crashes that have taken the lives of our gallant soldiers.
“It is our solemn prayer that Allah, in His infinite mercy, will put an end to these unfortunate incidents and grant victory to our gallant soldiers as they continue to protect the nation from terrorists, bandits and kidnappers.’’
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that victims of the Friday crash have been buried in the military cemetery in Abuja while the government directed that the national flag be flown at half-mast in respect of the victims.