Reps postpone security summit in honour of late Army Chief, Attahiru, others

Nigerian House of Representatives has postponed the planned security summit billed to hold on Monday.

The lower house made this known ina statement on Sunday by its Clerk. Chinedu Akubueze, who also informed that the decision was in honour of the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Ibrahim Attahiru and 10 other military personnel who died in a plane crash in Kaduna on Friday.

Akubueze expressed the House’s grief and sorrow to the families of the late top military officers, praying that the Almighty God will grant them eternal rest.

The statement partly read, “This is to inform the general public that the House of Representatives has postponed its national security summit scheduled to hold from Monday, May 24, 2021, in honour of the late Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant-General Ibrahim Attahiru, and 10 other military officers and men that died as a result of air mishap on Friday”.

The security summit, according to the statement, will now kick off on Wednesday, May 26, 2021.

“The House shares in the grief and sorrow of the families of the late top military officers and prayed that the Almighty God will grant them eternal rest.

“It should be noted that the postponement became necessary as the late Army Chief was one of the major stakeholders that would have taken part in the summit. The House regrets any inconvenience the postponement may cause invited guests”, the statement added.

Also commenting earlier, the Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila, mourned the late COAS, noting Attahiru had “shown a lot of commitment in tackling the security situation in the country”.

While describing the late Attahiru as “a core professional officer,” the Speaker said the Nigerian military, especially the Nigeria Army, had lost a dedicated and committed senior officer whose services to the fatherland will be sorely missed.

Gbajabiamila, also sent his condolences to President Muhammadu Buhari, the Nigerian military, and the Attahiru family over the loss. He prayed for the repose of the souls of Attahiru and others.