Plane crash that killed former Army Chief of Staff was not accidental, says retired general

Retired Major General Danjuma Ali-Keffi, former GOC of 1 Division of the Nigerian Army, is concerned about the air crash that killed former Chief of Army Staff Lt Gen Ibrahim Attahiru and 11 other senior military officers.

Ali-Keffi stated this in an exclusive interview that terror financiers are involved in the crash and urged President Bola Tinubu to investigate immediately.

With reservations about the official investigation, Ali-Keffi alleges a deliberate suppression of critical crash details.

The tragic incident’s circumstances are suspicious because the full investigation report has not been released, he said.

Attahiru helped develop Northern Nigeria’s anti-terrorism strategies, according to the retired general.

Ali-Keffi claims the late army chief investigated and neutralized terror financiers.

Ali-Keffi questions the abrupt changes in the scheduled trip, aircraft choice, and landing airport in a detailed account of the crash.

His account of the aircraft’s descent in stormy weather, delayed departure, and ear-shattering explosion before the crash challenges the official narrative.

Ali-Keffi stated, “About 2100 hrs on Thursday 20 May 2021, I spoke on the phone with the Chief of Staff (COS) to the late COAS about their impending Kanduna trip the following day.

I previously discussed this with General Attahiru. We ended by noting that the late COAS and entourage would arrive by flight at 1000 hrs the next day.

The next morning, I called the COS and late COAS to confirm if their travel plan was as we discussed the night before because I needed to make mosque arrangements for the COAS to attend Jummu’at (Friday) prayers.

A change in plan was announced by the COS. After speaking last night, they received a message that the late COAS was to attend a meeting at the Honourable Minister of Defence (HMOD) office or the Presidential Villa at about 1000 hrs on Friday, May 21, 2021, in person and not send a representative.

The late COAS visited Kaduna as part of his visit to Zaria for the Depot NA Passing Out Parade on Saturday, May 22, 2021.

“Note that service chiefs leave Abuja with the knowledge of the CDS, HMOD, and presidency.

Why was a meeting scheduled for about the same time the late COAS was to leave for Kaduna, and why must he not be represented?

In any case, the COS informed me that they would leave the Flag House (official residence of the COAS) at about 1530 hrs (after the meeting and Jummu’ at prayers) for the airport.

“They expected to arrive at the airport at 1600 hrs, board the plane at 1610–1615 hrs, and fly to Kaduna. I heard they arrived at the airport’s Presidential Wing at 1600 hrs. I drove with my entourage from the Stallion House (GOC residence) to the Air Force Base at 1615 hrs.

Until today, I don’t understand why the flight was delayed over an hour and didn’t take off until 1730. As I was informed, the aircraft assigned to transport the COAS and his entourage had issues and had to be changed, causing the delay.”

Ali-Keffi added, “Meanwhile, a meteorological alert forecast heavy rainfall and wind shear in Kaduna airspace. At the airport, we saw the Kaduna cloud.

The cloud was thick, indicating a massive storm. Flight doubts became mine. I discussed my concerns with Air Commodores Iyamu and Ilo, who were with me for the COAS.

I even suggested informing Abuja of weather conditions to cancel the flight. At 1745 hrs, I was informed the aircraft was airborne. I worried about landing the plane at the airport in such a heavy rainstorm.

I wasn’t surprised when Air Commodore Ilo told me we had to go to the Civil (International Airport) because the NAF runway was too short to land the plane in the terrible weather. We drove slowly to the International Airport due to heavy rain and shale.

I thought it was thunder when we got near the airport, said the former GOC. I believed the aircraft was descending to land on the runway. I thought the plane had landed and was taxing to the parking area as we turned the bend to enter the tarmac.

“No planes were on the runway. I panicked and saw a fireball on the runway’s other side. An aircraft carrying General Attahiru! Out of the cars, we crossed the runway to the burning plane. The fire was extinguished by firefighters. Fearing cylinder explosions, we retreated.

We later found the 10 plane passengers’ corpses far from the wreckage. Their burned bodies were thrown from the plane before it crashed. According to my memory, the aircraft was on a flat grassland.

The crater was absent. A mid-air explosion was indicated. Why did the plane explode? The Air Safety and Accident Investigation Bureau report may explain the incident.”

Ali-Keffi asked, “Was the flight deliberately delayed to catch the rainstorm?” Could the plane have been sabotaged and exploded midair? Was the explosion explosive? Were there bombs in the plane or in parcels that passengers carried?