Ex-Chief of Air Staff Nsikak Eduok dies at 73

A former Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Nsikak Eduok is dead.

Eduok died Wednesday night at the age of 73.

According to family sources, Eduok died from kidney related illness which had kept him on the hospital bed for many months before he finally breathed his last Wednesday night (yesterday).

“I can tell you categorically that his death has nothing to do with Coronavirus. The man has been on the hospital bed for some time now. He was suffering from kidney related illness,” a family source said, contrary to speculations that he died of Covid-19.

Eduok’s death comes barely a week after that of Wing Commander Idongesit Nkanga, another retired Air Force officer and former Military Administrator of Akwa Ibom State who died from COVID-19 related ailments.

Born on July 11, 1947, Nsikak-Abasi Essien Eduok was born at Ibesikpo Asutan local government in Akwa Ibom State. After his education, he began working for VON for a short while as a studio manager. In 1968 Nsikak enrolled in the Nigerian Airforce, NAF as a probable pilot and became the 12th Chief of Army Staff on August 27, 1993, an appointment that was reversed a week later by the then military government.

Air Marshal Nsikak Eduok obtained his first military exercise from the Nigerian Defence Academy before going for his principal flying training in 1970. In 1971 after completing his principal training he went through the Basic Flying training course and emerged the best overall student.

In that same year he was assigned Second Lieutenant. Between 1971 and 1986 he attended several flying courses which included Advanced and Tactical Flying training course, Aircraft Accident Investigation course, MiG-21 Conversion Course in the Soviet Union, Advanced Staff Course in United Kingdom.

In 1991, he attended USAF Air War College in Alabama where he graduated in 1992. Between 1975 and 1976, Nsikak Eduok was the first Operations Officer of the Makurdi Strike Group. He was Commanding Officer of NAF Station, Enugu and the first Commander of the 75th Fighter Squadro.