Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff Ibrahim Attahiru has been killed after his plane crashed in the country’s north, an air force spokesman said.

Attahiru and 10 others were killed when the aircraft crashed in Kaduna state, the Nigerian Army confirmed on Friday May 21, 2021.

The Chief of Army Staff Attahiru was appointed by Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari in January in a shakeup of the top military command to better fight surging violence and a more than decade-long militant insurgency.

It was the third air force plane crash in three months, according to reports.

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UPDATE

On Thursday, May 27, 2021, Major General Farouk Yahaya was appointed as the new Chief of Amry Staff by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.).

Shortly after he was announced as the new COAS, the Nigerian Army released his profile in a statement signed by the Acting Director Defence Information, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu.

The statement read,

“The new Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Major General Farouk Yahaya was born on 5 January 1966 in Sifawa, Bodinga Local Government Area of Sokoto state. Maj Gen Yahaya who is a member of the 37 Regular Course of the prestigious Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), started his cadet training on 27 September 1985 and was commissioned into the Nigerian Army Infantry Corps on 22 September 1990. Maj Gen Yahaya has held several appointments including Staff, Instructional and Command.

“Notable among the appointments held by the new COAS are Garrison Commander Headquarters Guards Brigade, Directing Staff at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College (AFCSC), Deputy Director Army Headquarters Department of Military Secretary, Deputy Director Army Research and Development and the Chief of Staff, Headquarters Joint Task Force Operation Pulo Shield.

“He also served as the Principal General Staff Officer (PGSO) to the Honourable Minister of Defence, the Commander, Headquarters 4 Brigade and 29 Task Force Brigade (Operation Zaman Lafiya). He was also Director Manpower at the Army Headquarters, Military Secretary, Army Headquarters and General Officer Commanding (GOC) 1 Division of the Nigerian Army.

“Until his appointment as the COAS, Maj Gen Farouk Yahaya was the Theatre Commander Operation HADIN KAI, responsible for Counter Terrorism and Counter Insurgency operations in North East Nigeria.

“The new COAS is a proud holder of several honours and awards, some of which include, Forces Service Star, Meritorious Service Star, Distinguished Service Star, Grand Service Star, Passed staff course (Dagger), National DefenceCourse (Chile), Economic Community of West Africa State Monitoring Group Medal, Command Medal, Field Command Medal, General Operations Medal, Silver Jubilee Medal and Golden Jubilee Medal. He is happily married and blessed with children.”

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