“What Caused Aircraft to Explode?" Retired General Speaks on Crash that Killed Ex COAS Attahiru
- The demise of former Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Ibrahim Attahiru, has thrown up a death conspiracy theory
- Legit.ng recalls that Attahiru was killed in a plane crash in the north-western state of Kaduna, alongside 10 others who were onboard
- Revisiting the tragic event, a retired general, Danjuma Ali-Keffi, insinuated that Attahiru may have been assassinated
Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 6-year-experience covering security matters
Kaduna, Kaduna state - Major-General Danjuma Ali-Keffi, former general officer commanding (GOC) 1 Division of the Nigerian Army, has claimed that the air accident that killed Lieutenant General Ibrahim Attahiru and about 10 others on May 21, 2021, was a mid-air explosion.
Legit.ng reports that until his death, Attahiru was Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff (COAS), a position he held for five months.
Source: Getty Images
One month before his death at the Kaduna Airport, Attahiru reiterated the commitment of the Nigerian Army to crushing Boko Haram terrorists in the northeast.
His predecessor, Lt General Tukur Buratai, said when the tragedy occurred, Attahiru was on the verge of making Nigeria proud in the counterinsurgency and counter-terrorism efforts.
Retired general claims aircraft conveying Attahiru exploded
Speaking in an interview with This Day, published on Monday, January 22, Maj-Gen Ali-Keffi asked President Bola Tinubu to probe the air crash that killed Attahiru, suggesting that terrorism financiers may be behind the incident.
His words:
“When we got to the vicinity of the airport, there was a thunderous sound, which I thought was the sound of thunder.
"We had earlier sighted what I believed was the aircraft descending to land on the runway. When we turned the bend to enter the tarmac, the thought on my mind was that the aircraft had touched down and was taxing to the parking area.
“I couldn’t see any aircraft on the runway. I frantically looked around and by the far side of the runway there was a fireball. It was the aircraft conveying General Attahiru! We got out the vehicles, crossed the runway and approached the burning aircraft. Fire fighters were on hand to put out the blaze.
"At some point we had to pull back due to the fear of exploding cylinders.
“We later recovered the corpses of the 10 passengers on board the ill-fated plane far from where the plane wreckage was.
"Apparently, their bodies, which were on fire, were flung from the aircraft before it came down (already in flames).
"Furthermore, the aircraft (or what was left of it), at least what I could recollect, was on a relatively flat grassland.
“There was no crater. This was indicative of a mid-air explosion. So, what caused the aircraft to explode? I wonder what the Air Safety and Accident Investigation Bureau report says about the incident.”
What to read about Ibrahim Attahiru:
- Facts to know about new COAS Major-General Attahiru
- Facts about Late General Ibrahim Attahiru who died in plane crash
- General Ibrahim Attahiru's last message to officers before his death
Nigeria Army confirms Ibrahim Attahiru's death
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the Nigerian Army spoke on the death of Attahiru.
The spokesperson of the Nigerian Army, Yerima Mohammed, confirmed Attahiru's death.
The army said the COAS was en route to Kaduna from Abuja when the unfortunate incident happened.
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Source: Legit.ng
