The Nigerian air force personnel who died in a plane crash were heading to Niger State for the rescue of the students abducted from Government Science College, Kagara.
Shehu Koko, chairman of the House Committee on Air Force, made the disclosure in a statement on Sunday.
The Beechcraft KingAir B350i (NAF 201) conveying the military personnel crashed near the Abuja airport, killing the all the seven operative who were on board.
Said Koko: “We highly regret the loss of our gallant officers who apparently were on a mission to rescue the kidnapped students of a secondary school in Kagara community in Niger State”.
He commiserated with the families of the deceased officers, assuring that investigation into the incident would “begin in earnest to determine the remote cause”.
Speaking in the same vein, Ibikunle Daramola, air force spokesman, said the jet was scheduled to conduct surveillance missions over Niger and its environs.
The officers were heading to Niger four days after bandits abducted 42 persons including 27 students during an early morning attack in Kagara.
There is no official information on their whereabouts of the students yet, but the federal government has promised to ensure their safe and swift release.
