14th March, 2012
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has expressed deep sorrow over the death of Haruna John, the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police in charge of Operations Department, who died on Wednesday in a helicopter crash in Jos, the Plateau State capital, northcentral Nigeria.
John, who was recently promoted to DIG from his former position as Benue State Police Commissioner, died along with three other police officers in the air mishap.
In a tribute to the late DIG released by his media office in Abuja, Atiku recalled that John was one of the most dedicated police officers he has ever known and admired.
Atiku said he was particularly touched by the fact the late DIG was directly responsible for his security whenever he (Atiku) visited Lagos when he was Nigeria’s Vice President.
As a Deputy Police Commissioner in Lagos at that time, Atiku noted that the late John had always discharged his duties diligently.
“There are people who come into your life and touch it immediately. John was one of such people,” Atiku said.
In Atiku’s words, “the late DIG John died at a critical time when his services were most needed. At the time he lost his life, he was on an official mission to Jos as the Head of Police Operations activities.
“His death couldn’t have come at a worse time when Nigeria needed his skills and services to tackle the current grim security challenges.”
Atiku noted that even in death, the late DIG would remain a fountain of inspiration to many police officers and men in Nigeria.
He condoled with the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar and the families of the late DIG and others who died along with him in the crash and prayed to God to grant them eternal rest in peace.