“Attahiru Was Assassinated, Not a Crash” — Retired General Drops Bombshell Claim

Retired Major General Danjuma Ali-Keffi has alleged that the late Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, was deliberately eliminated in the May 21, 2021 Kaduna plane explosion that killed him and 10 other officers.

Ali-Keffi, who once commanded 1 Division and led covert Operation Service Wide, claims Attahiru’s death was tied to internal hostility, sabotage, and corruption within the military. He recalls conversations where Attahiru described being unfairly targeted, frustrated by leaked intelligence that allowed Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau to escape, and disturbed by reports of commanders allegedly paying terrorists to avoid attacks.

Attahiru had reportedly ordered a forensic audit of Army funds and equipment, with plans to act on the findings days before his death. Ali-Keffi insists the aircraft did not simply crash but exploded mid-air, citing injuries consistent with a blast inside the cabin. He questions why the full accident investigation report remains unpublished more than four years later.

For Ali-Keffi, the combination of suspicious circumstances, financial leaks, and Attahiru’s conflicts with powerful figures point to assassination rather than accident.