President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed sadness over the death of two Nigerian Air Force (NAF) pilots in a plane crash on Tuesday in Kaduna.

In a statement on Wednesday night, the president’s media aide Garba Shehu said Mr Buhari made his feelings known while reacting to the death of the two pilots, Abubakar Alkali and Elijah Haruna Karatu.

“I am shocked beyond words by the demise of these two promising young men who risked their lives in the service of the country,” stated Mr Buhari. “There is no reward big enough to pay for the services of these young and dedicated professional airmen in the service of their country.”

While extending his sympathies to the chief of air staff and the families of the deceased, the president called for “more safety measures to forestall tragic incidents of this kind.”

The president, who welcomed the decision of the NAF authorities to investigate the cause of the crash, called for the publication and implementation of the recommendations of reports of past investigations into air crashes.

He explained that the publication and implementation of the reports would help prevent future tragedies and assist families and friends of the deceased in putting closure to the tragic incidents. 

(NAN)