Nigerian Envoy Condoles Ghana Over Death of Officials in Helicopter Crash

By Iyojo Ameh

The Permanent Representative of Nigeria to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Ambassador Musa Sami Nuhu, has paid a condolence visit to the Ghanaian Embassy in Abuja following the tragic loss of senior Ghanaian officials in a military helicopter crash last week.

Speaking during the visit, Ambassador Nuhu described the incident as “a huge loss, not just to the Ghanaian government, but to the entire African continent.”

“I came here to commiserate with the Ghanaian Embassy in Nigeria about this huge loss of our brothers who were involved in this ill-fated helicopter accident. It was a huge shock to us here in Nigeria, given that the people involved were excellent Ghanaian officials we knew personally, and with whom we had been working closely,” he said.

He noted that the deceased were key figures in ongoing ECOWAS initiatives, particularly the operationalisation of the regional standby force a cornerstone of the bloc’s collective security framework.

Ambassador Nuhu offered prayers for the repose of their souls, asking Allah to forgive their shortcomings and grant comfort to their grieving families.

The fatal crash occurred on August 6, 2025, when a Ghana Armed Forces Z-9 military helicopter went off radar after take-off from Accra, crashing in the Adansi Akrofuom District of the Ashanti Region, about 270 kilometres northwest of the capital.

Among those killed was Ghana’s Defence Minister, Edward Omane Boamah, alongside other top military and government officials. Consultations with the victims’ families are ongoing to finalise burial arrangements.

The tragedy has drawn widespread condolences from leaders across West Africa. ECOWAS, the African Union, and other regional partners have pledged solidarity with Ghana, while President John Mahama has declared a period of national mourning, ordering flags to fly at half-mast in memory of the deceased.