By Ihechi Enyinnaya
The seven Nigerian Air Force officers who died when their Beechcraft King Air B350i aircraft crashed on Sunday will be buried at the National Cemetery, Abuja on Thursday.
The Force disclosed this in an invitation to journalists on Wednesday.
The captain had reported engine failure shortly after takeoff and crashed short of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
The deceased include the Captain, Fl. Lt. Haruna Gadzama; Fl. Lt. Henry Piyo (Co-Pilot); Flying Officer Micheal Okpara (Airborne Tactical Observation System Specialist); Warrant Officer Bassey Etim (ATOS Specialist); Fl. Sgt. Olasunkanmi Olawunmi (ATOS Specialist); Sgt. Ugochukwu Oluka (ATOS Specialist) and Aircraftman Adewale Johnson (Onboard Technician).
The tragic incident generated an outpouring of grief nationwide while the Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Isiaka Amao, ordered an investigation into the mishap.
The CAS said the deceased personnel, had been in Minna, Niger State, for days conducting Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance missions in connection with the efforts to secure the release of the 42 students and staff abducted from the Government Science College Kagara, Niger State.