Buhari mourns dead pilots of crashed NAF jet

President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday expressed sadness at the unfortunate death of two officers in a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) in a plane crash in Kaduna.

The deceased are pilots of the NAF jet which crashed in Kaduna State on Tuesday evening.

In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, the President said he was shocked beyond words at the death of Flt. Lt. Abubakar Alkali and Flt. Lt. Elijah Haruna Karatu in the air mishap.

Buhari said: “I am shocked beyond words by the demise of these two promising young men who risked their lives in the service of the country.

“There is no reward big enough to pay for the services of these young and dedicated professional airmen in the service of their country.”

READ ALSO: Pilots feared dead as another NAF jet crashes in Kaduna

While extending his sympathies to the Chief of Air Staff and the families of the deceased, President Buhari called for “more safety measures to forestall tragic incidents of this kind in the future.”

“I welcome the decision by the NAF authorities to investigate this accident, but I also call on them to publish and implement the recommendations of the reports of past investigations into air accidents, with a view to preventing future tragedies and putting closure to the families and friends of the deceased,” the President added.

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