Buhari orders postponement of FEC, Police Council meetings in honour of Attahiru, 10 others

PRESIDENT Buhari today ordered the postponement of the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting slated for Wednesday in honour of the late Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, and 10 other military personnel who died in last week’s air crash in Kaduna.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, who disclosed this in a statement in Abuja, said the President also directed the postponement of the Police Council meeting scheduled for Thursday.

He said the FEC meeting will now hold on June 2, while the Police Council meeting has been pushed forward to June 3.

The President had on Sunday declared Monday as a work-free day for military personnel in honour of the victims of the plane crash.

He also ordered that the national flag should be flown at half-mast in public buildings and facilities across the country from Monday over the same matter.

Attahiru and 10 other military personnel died after a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) jet crashed near the Kaduna International Airport last Friday.

The statement read: “Further to the directive of Mr. President for the National Flag to fly at half-mast nationwide from 24th 26th May 2021 and the declaration of today, Monday 24th May 2021, as work free-day for members of the Armed Forces, the President has also directed that the Federal Executive Council Meeting scheduled to hold on Wednesday, 26th May 2021 be postponed to Wednesday, 2nd June 2021.

“Similarly, the Police Council Meeting which was earlier scheduled for Thursday 27th May 2021 be postponed to Thursday 3rd June 2021 in honour of the memory of the late Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru and 10 other Senior Military Officers and Service Men.

“President Muhammadu Buhari urges all citizens to use this period of mourning to pray for the repose of the souls of the departed and strength for the family to bear the painful loss.”