Police names victims of Jos crash

The Nigeria Police has released names of its officers killed in Wednesday morning helicopter crash that killed a Deputy Inspector General in Jos, Plateau state.

The pilot of the ill-fated chopper,Garba Yalwa, and his assistant, Alexander Pwol-Ja, a Chief Superintendent of Police and an orderly to the DIG, Sonatian Shirunam, a Sergeant, also perished in the crash, the police said in statement hours after the accident.

The officers were on a routine patrol of the troubled city that has seen two bomb attacks in the last two weeks, the police said.

The police saysthe accident was “tragic and unfortunate”.

President Goodluck Jonathan said the accident was an “unfortunate and a temporary setback especially at this time that all security forces are making concerted efforts to guarantee security throughout the country.”

The president has condoled with the families of the four officers.

Details of the accident are sketchy. The helicopter, said to have belonged to the Special Task Force, the multiagency security outfit in the Plateau state, crashed on a house around Rukuba road behind Jos satellite market, witnesses say.

The police statement signed by its spokesperson, Olusola Amore said that crash occurred at about 11.30am. An investigation is underway, it adds.

“The Force in conjunction with other relevant government agencies has since commenced investigation into the incident.”

DIG Haruna John, a well decorated officer was born on the 16th August, 1956, in Karim Lamido LGA, Taraba State. 

New Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, elevated him to the Deputy Inspector of Police rank, after decades in service.

He enlisted into the Nigeria Police Force on 5th June, 1978 as a Cadet Inspector and rose through the ranks to become a Deputy Inspector-General of Police.He was former Commissioner of Police in-charge of Anambra, Niger, FCT Abuja and Benue State Police Commands respectively.

He was also in China in 2009 and 2010 for Professional Police Leadership Trainings.