The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) pilot Flight Lieutenant Perowei Jacob died on January 2, 2019 as Mi-35M helicopter crashed and according to his wife, Diepreye, she first got to know about it when she checked her husband WhatsApp status.
She said: “My husband left for the trip five days after we got married and since he left, I’ve been alone. We spoke before he took off on the trip. When I tried his number at night, it was not going through and I switched off my phone afterwards. The following morning, I tried reaching him again, but it still was not going through.
“I went on WhatsApp and I saw the picture of my husband and his co-pilot with the caption: ‘Rest in Peace’ on the status update of one of his colleagues, who didn’t know that I had his WhatsApp number. When I saw it, I was so shocked that I threw my phone away in disbelief. I picked it up again and went through it. Just as I was about running out of the house, the commander arrived to confirm my fear.”
According to report, the couple had their wedding on December 8, 2018. Her husband and four others died during one of the numerous flights of the NAF Component of Operation LAFIYA DOLE in Maiduguri, Borno State.
Others who died alongside Jacob at about 7:45pm were Flight Lieutenant Kaltho Kilyof as (co-pilot), Sergeant Auwal Ibrahim (flight technician), Lance Corporal Adamu Nura (gunner) and Aircraft Man Meshack Ishmael (gunner).
They are to be buried today at the National Military Cemetery in Abuja.
