Until tragedy struck, Flying Officer Ayuba Layelmenson, co-pilot of
the Air Force Alfa jet that crashed in Niger Republic recently, was a
beacon of hope for his family. An officer pilot at the age of 24, the
sky was literally his roof in the flying profession. As a matter of
fact, Ayuba, a native of Lapan in Gombe State, had bagged an award as
the youngest African pilot from a Flying Academy in America.
By sheer cruel fate, his mother had been struck with stroke and the
family had looked forward to an improved life given the bright future of
their son, who was the youngest of five children. His father, Mr Job
Layelmenson is however healthy. But all the expectations crashed with
the Air Force jet.
Ayuba and the pilot of the jet, Squadron Leader Benjamin Ado, were
stationed in Niger Republic, to fly some soldiers to war-torn Mali, for
peacekeeping. The jet had hardly taken off, when it crashed and the two
pilots died in the accident. Speaking to Sunday Sun, a relation of the
late Flying officer, who did not want his name in print, said Ayuba’s
death devastated the family because everybody believed he held out hope
of a brighter future for them.
The relation who is a Police officer attached to Zone 2 Police
Command, Onikan in Lagos, disclosed that the families of the two pilots
had requested for the release of the bodies to them but NAF authorities
turned down the request. According to him, the Air Force based the
refusal on its decision to give them heroes’ burial. He told Sunday Sun
that the two military pilots would be buried at the National Cemetery,
Abuja, on Tuesday. The pilot, Squadron Leader Ado, hailed from Benue
State.
source: sun
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