The remains of the Air Force personnel who died in a helicopter crash while fighting the terrorists group, Boko Haram, have been interred.
They were buried on Tuesday at the national military cemetery in Abuja.
The crash occurred on January 2 when the helicopter was providing support to troops of the army’s 145 battalion in Damasak, Borno State.
The fallen heroes are Perowei Jacob, pilot in command; Kaltho Kilyofas, co-pilot; Auwal Ibrahim, flight technician; Adamu Nura, gunner, and Meshack Ishmael, gunner.
Speaking during the burial ceremony, the Chief of Air Staff, Sadique Abubakar, praised the soldiers for the sacrifice in the pursuit of the peace which he said many enjoyed and took for granted.
“We salute the courage of these young men, whose lot it became to give their lives for this purpose,” he said.
He added: “The loss of these courageous and professional gentlemen must spur the rest of us not only to rededicate ourselves in the service of our nation but also to expose and fight all agents of destabilisation and extremism in our society.
“We must throw in everything we have to this fight to ensure that our departed colleagues did not die in vain.
“We must do everything possible to bring the ongoing insurgency in the North-East to a speedy end that is favourable to our nation.
“I am indeed deeply touched and saddened by the price which our patriots had to pay in this needless fight against insurgency.”
Present at the burial was the Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan-Ali, among other dignitaries in the military.
