Nigerian Army Chief Dies in Air Force Plane Crash 

ABUJA, NIGERIA - Nigeria's army chief, Lieutenant General Ibrahim Attahiru, died in a plane crash Friday on an official visit to the northern state of Kaduna, which has had security challenges in recent months, the presidency said.

The air force said in a statement that its plane crashed near the Kaduna airport and that it was investigating the cause. The presidency said that in addition to the army general, other military officers died in the crash. President Muhammadu Buhari, in a presidency statement, described the crash as a "mortal blow … at a time our armed forces are poised to end the security challenges facing the country."