Tragic crashes, conspiracy theories Mustapha Temidayo By Olakunle Abimbola Again on May 21, tragedy struck: a thunderclap that swept away Lt-Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff (COAS) and 10 others, among the finest in the Nigerian military. Other Army victims, in that air catastrophe, were Brig-Gen. Abdulkadir Kuliya (acting Chief of Army Intelligence), Brig-Gen. M. I. Abdulkadir (chief of staff to the late COAS), Brig-Gen. O. L. Olayinka (Provost Marshal of the Nigerian Army), Major L. A. Hayat (aide-de-camp to the late COAS) and Major N. Hamza. The Air Force casualties were Flight-Lt. T. O. Asaniyi (pilot of the doomed aircraft, whose wedding was reportedly due in November), Flight-Lt. A. A. Olufade (co–pilot, who wedded only two months ago), Sergeant O. Adesina, Sergeant Umar and ACM O. M. Oyedepo (air crew members).