The seven Nigerian Air Force officers who died in the air crash will be buried at the National Cemetery, Lugbe, Airport Road, Abuja, on Thursday.

The NAF disclosed this on Wednesday in an invitation to journalists.

The Beechcraft King Air B350i in which they were flying crashed short of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, after reporting engine failure.

The victims include the Captain, Fl. Lt. Haruna Gadzama; Fl. Lt. Henry Piyo (Co-Pilot); Flying Officer Micheal Okpara (Airborne Tactical Observation System Specialist); Warrant Officer Bassey Etim (ATOS Specialist); Fl. Sgt. Olasunkanmi Olawunmi (ATOS Specialist); Sgt. Ugochukwu Oluka (ATOS Specialist) and Aircraftman Adewale Johnson (Onboard Technician).

The tragic incident which happened on Sunday, generated an outpouring of grief nationwide while the Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Isiaka Amao, ordered an investigation into the accident.

The CAS said the deceased personnel had been in Minna, Niger State, for days conducting Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance missions in connection with the efforts to secure the release of the 42 students and staff abducted from the Government Science College Kagara, Niger State.

During the visit of the Minister of Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen, who paid a condolence visit to the Nigerian Air Force headquarters on Monday, Amao disclosed that the aircraft had carried out several Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance missions in virtually all the theatres, including the North-East, North-West as well as the North-Central.