‘Let Attahiru’s Successor Be Of Course 35’

By Okodili Ndidi, Gbenga Omokhunu, Sanni Onogu, Tony Akowe, Abuja;  Yinka Adeniran, Ibadan;  Onimisi Alao,  Yola,  Adamu Suleiman,  Sokoto; Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin and  Alao Abiodun

Who succeeds the late of Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt-General Ibrahim Attahiru?

This  is one question that has been on the lips of many in and outside military barracks since the Army Chief died in a military plane crash in Kaduna  at the weekend.

Ten other military personnel died with him in the accident blamed on inclement weather.

A  senior military officer  has advised that the next COAS must not be below the Regular Course 35, to which the late Attahiru belonged.

Attahiru was  a Major-General, prior to his appointment less than five months. There are however, two Majors- General in the Army, who belong to Regular Courses 36 and 37.

Although the top military source acknowledged that  it is the prerogative of the President to appoint a  COAS, he  warned that any appointee below those in the Regular Course 35, could unsettle the Army.

The officer, who did not want his name in print, added that any wrong decision that could lead to the exit of officers of the Regular Course 35 at this critical point, would be counter-productive.

His words: “Mr. President should exercise military discretion in this matter and not allow sentiments to decide his actions because the Nigerian Army is on the edge currently.

“Remember that the late COAS was appointed about five months ago and the Army is still in the process of coming to terms with the administrative and other changes that came with his appointment when this sad incident of his death came.

“If the President goes ahead to appoint the new COAS from an officer below Course 35, the effect will not be to the advantage of the Army and the on-going counter-insurgency war.

“So, the best thing to do at the moment is to allow the  status quo to remain by appointing from among the late COAS course mates.

“We are in the middle of terrorism war and the Army cannot afford any internal revolt now. We need an Army that will remain disciplined and loyal to the country.”

• More Nigerians, CAN, NMA, others react

Reactions have continued to trail  the death of  Attahiru and others, with some groups and individuals calling for a probe.

Some expressed displeasure that President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo were absent at the burial of the victims  at the Military Cemetery in Abuja on Saturday.

But, Prof.  Ibrahim Gambari, Chief of Staff to the President;  Sultan of Sokoto Sa’ad Abubakar; Senate President  Ahmed Lawan,    Minister of Information and Culture  Lai Mohammed,    his Communications and Digital Strategy counterpart, Isa Pantami  attended their burial

Governors  Babagana Zulum (Borno), Nasir El-Rufai  (Kaduna), Mailmala Buni (Yobe) and Abubakar Bagudu  (Kebbi) witnessed the burial.

Eminent Nigerians who spoke  on the crash yesterday  include Oyo State Governor  Seyi Makinde;  Senator Tokunbo Abiru, former Senate President David Mark, Senator Aliyu Wammako, former COAS Tukur Buratai; a Senior Advocate of Nigeria(SAN), Yusuf Ali;  a former National Assembly member, Senator Shehu Sani, and   Reno Omokri, an erstwhile aide of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

Senator Tokunbo Abiru (Lagos East) commiserated with President Buhari and the country over the demise of  military officers in a plane crash at the weekend.

Abiru, in a condolence letter he personally signed, described the tragic event as a fatal blow to the nation and the immediate families of the deceased.

He extolled the gallantry and courage of an illustrious indigene of Ikorodu, the late Brigadier- General Lookman Olatunji Olayinka, the Provost Marshall, Nigerian Army Headquarters, Abuja who died in the crash.

Abiru expressed grief over the accident and prayed that Almighty Allah should comfort the families of the departed

He said: “I commiserate with the President on the death of our gallant and courageous officers who died in the course of duty.

”Late Olayinka was among the finest top brass of the military that Nigeria ever produced. As the Provost Marshall of the Nigerian Army, Late Tunji discharged his duty exceptionally with discipline and courage.

”Tunji’s dedication to duty earned him laurels including medals from the United Nations. Nigeria, Ikorodu, Kosofe and Lagos State at large will not forget his gallantry, and honour he brought to the land in his patriotic service to the nation. We are proud of his sterling achievements in the military and the legacies he left behind.

”I pray that Almighty Allah comforts the Matriarch of the Olayinka family, the wife of the deceased, Mrs Oluwatoyin Olayinka, the Children and my bosom friend, Barrister Lanre Olayinka and other family members.

”Please accept my heartfelt condolences on behalf of the people of the Lagos East Senatorial District”.

The  Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), the Nigerian Medical Association(NMA) and the   Northern Youth Leaders Forum (NYLF) also commiserated with the President, the Army and the country.

CAN expressed concern over the spate of military plane crashes in the country and called on President Buhari to investigate the latest crash.

“It is high time thorough investigations are carried out with a view to ascertaining the immediate and remote causes of these recurrent disasters and address the causes decisively and squarely,” the association said in a statement by its spokesman, Daramola Joseph.

CAN, however, condoled the President  “and all the families affected by their painful exit.”

NYLF called for the probe of the  “constant crashes” involving planes of the Nigeria Air Force.

“We sincerely and honestly frown at the manner and rate of these plane crashes,” the National Chairman of the forum, Elliot Afiyo, told reporters  at a  news conference in Yola,  Adamawa State.

NMA, in a condolence letter by its  President,  Innocent Ujah, and Secretary, Philips Ekpe, also  condoled the  Presidency  over the death of the officers and men.

“We share in the pains and grief of the Presidency and other Nigerians over the death of the military officers. We are pained because the nation has lost a rare breed and one of her most decorated intelligent tactical officers,” the group said.

Makinde described the death of  Attahiru and other victims, including an indigene of the state, Flight Lt. Taiwo Asaniyi, as a huge loss to Nigeria.

Makinde, in a statement   by his Chief Press Secretary, Taiwo Adisa, commiserated with the families of the deceased and prayed God to grant them the fortitude to bear the losses.

He also condoled the President and   the Armed Forces, especially the Army and the Air Force.

The governor, who described the death of Asaniyi as a personal loss to him and the state, urged the family to take solace in the Almighty.

“The deaths are painful and a great loss to our nation, especially at this time when concerted efforts are needed to tackle insecurity,” he added.

Former  Senate President   Mark lamented that the crash  was  not only heartbreaking, but one too many.

In  condolence messages to Buhari, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Lt.-Gen.  Lucky Irabor;  the   Armed Forces and families of the fallen soldiers, he  lamented that their death came at a time  their services were needed to rid the nation of its security challenges.

The former Senate President  urged the  Air Force to subject their transport fleet to external safety audit    in  order to unravel the immediate and remote causes of recent   crashes involving their jets..

Senator Aliyu  Wamakko sympathised with the President, the CDS  , the Armed Forces and the families of the deceased.

The former Sokoto State governor and  Chairman,  Senate Committee on Defence,   said  the death of the military personnel was  “  a formidable setback to the concerted efforts by the military and other security agencies, to combat the myriad of security challenges across Nigeria.

A lawyer Mallam  Ali (SAN),   urged the Federal Government to make public, reports of investigations into earlier Air Force crashes in the country. He  commiserated with the Federal Government, the Armed Forces, and the families of the dead.

He said: “I want to use this occasion to call on the government- three air crashes involving Nigeria Air Force aircraft in three months or

thereabouts—  are worrisome.

“I want to say that it is time the Federal Government made public the reports of investigations on the earlier crashes. People want to know why we have  lost highly trained officers   to  three successive  crashes.”

Buratai   regretted  that the  air crash  had  robbed “us of the services of a Chief of Army Staff who had left no one in doubt as regards his determination to succeed in the various military operations across the country.

“He (Attahiru) was at the verge of making the nation proud in the counter-insurgency and counterterrorism efforts when this tragedy occurred,”  he said

Buratai, however, urged the armed forces to close ranks and make sure that the legacy of the officers are sustained by consolidating on the gains  they had recorded in various operations.

Senator  Sani, who also frowned at Buhari’s absence at the burial, advised that  “the President should visit the bereaved families of the late COAS and other deceased officers, in order to make up”  for his: unconscionable” action.

Also,  Omokri twetted:  “Sad that General @MBuhari did not attend the burial of the late Chief of Army Staff, General Attahiru.

“He was represented by his Defence Minister.  Attahiru died serving Nigeria. Buhari, who went to Paris for four days, could not go to Attahiru’s funeral for 30 minutes.”

– The Nation