There is a heavy security presence in and around the National Mosque Abuja ahead of a special prayer for the late Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, who died in a plane crash in Kaduna on Friday along with 10 others who were on board the aircraft with him.

A similar prayer will also be held at the National Christian Centre for the Christians among the deceased.

Military officers as well as men of the Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps and the Federal Road Safety Corps are on duty around the building.

Meanwhile, top government officials were at the mosque ahead of the 10am time scheduled for the commencement of the ceremony.

Among them were President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan; and two unidentified governors said to be in the vehicles on the same convoy.

They, however, left the premises before time.

It was learnt that the time had been shifted to 12.30pm. The shift has not been officially confirmed.

The aircraft, with registration number 5N-R203, which the military officers were travelling in was billed to land at the Nigerian Airforce Base in the Mando area of Kaduna before it diverted and attempted to land at the Kaduna International Airport before the crash.

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The officers were said to be on their way to Kaduna ahead of Saturday’s passing-out parade of soldiers from the Nigerian Army Depot in Zaria.

See photos below.