The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has demanded an extensive inquest into Friday’s air crash that killed the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru and other military officers as well as the last two in which lives of personnel were similarly lost.

In a statement issued by Kola Ologbondiyan, National Publicity Secretary of the main opposition party on Saturday, it expressed it grief over the death of the COAS and the other officers in the latest military plane crash.

The party described Gen. Attahiru and the other victims as heroes who gave their lives for the security of the nation, adding that the tragic incident is a huge blow to Nigeria.

The statement added that “Our party commiserates with the military high command, the families of Lt. General Attahiru and the other officers and men who have paid the supreme price for the security of our nation and pray to God to give them the fortitude to bear the loss.”

The PDP urged Nigerians to be at alert and continue to pray for the fighting men and women, “who are risking their lives at the front to secure our nation.”

In a related development, the PDP Governors Forum has described the death of Gen. Attahiru and the other officers as “a very sad loss and a huge blow” to the nation and itseffort to ensure security.

A statement issued by the chairman is the forum and governor of Sokoto state, Aminu Tambuwal on Saturday said: “It is most painful that this tragedy is coming at a time the Army Chief is leading the war against insecurity in the land having just recently taken command of the Nigerian Army.

“General Attahiru served the nation with dedication, skill, gallantry and total commitment, employing his long years of experience and expertise in the service of our fatherland. May his soul and those of his colleagues who died in the aircraft rest in peaceand may God forgive them their sins as death is inevitable for all mortals,” the forum stated.

The forum expressed its condolences to President Muhammadu Buhari, the Nigerian Army. the entire Armed Forces, and Nigeria for this sudden and irreparable loss.

“We admonish the military and all security agencies to redouble their efforts to vanquish insecurity in Nigeria as a fitting tribute to the departed Chief, as we pledge our continued support to the Nigerian Armed Forces and Security Agencies,” it stated.(Nigerian Tribune)