Godswill Obot Akpabio, Senate President, on Tuesday, penned an emotional message to Nigerians urging prayers for the souls of the 32 victims, who perished in Monday’s ill-fated military aircraft crash off Igbokoda in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo state.
In an emotion-laden statement he personally signed, Akpabo, particularly conveyed his condolences and that of the entire members of the National Assembly to President Bola Tinubu on the incident, which occurred while the plane was on a routine flight from Benin to Lagos.
The message sent through Eseme Eyiboh, his spokesman, Akpabio, former Governor of Akwa Ibom State and Minister of the Niger Delta also commiserated with the Chief of Defence Staff, all Service Chiefs as well as families of the victims over the unfortunate development.
His words: “I received with grief the tragic incident of the crash of a Nigerian Air Force ATR 42 aircraft near Igbokoda in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, resulting in the loss of 32 lives — 25 passengers and 7 crew members.
“On behalf of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I extend my deepest condolences to His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Chief of Defence Staff, the Chief of the Air Staff, the Service Chiefs, officers and men of our Armed Forces, and, most importantly, the families and loved ones of all those who perished in this tragic incident.
“A nation may mourn its fallen heroes, but it must never forget the courage with which they gave their lives in service to the Republic.This is a profoundly painful moment for our nation and, particularly, for the Nigerian Air Force.May their souls rest in peace and may Almighty God comfort the bereaved families and our Nation, Amen.”
