- Dr Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed and Alhaji Muniru Limuna Mohammed, two of the Obuasi helicopter crash victims, will be buried on Sunday, August 10, 2025
- Preparations are underway at the military cemetery in Accra, where they will be laid to rest after their burial rites at the Forecourt of State House
- The two, part of eight victims in the ill-fated Ghana Armed Forces Z-9 helicopter, were the only muslims on board and would be buried per Islamic customs
Two of the eight casualties from the devastating military helicopter crash near Obuasi will be laid to rest on Sunday, August 10.
Source: Instagram
The funeral committee has announced that Alhaji Dr. Ibrahim Mohammed Murtala, Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, and Alhaji Muniru Limuna Mohammed, Acting Deputy National Security Coordinator, the two Muslims on the ill-fated helicopter will be buried following Islamic customs and practices.
A statement from the presidency released on Saturday, August 9, 2025, indicated the two would be buried in Accra after the burial rites.
Their Jannaza prayers, also known as Salat al-Janazah, a Muslim community prayer offered for the deceased, are scheduled for 2:00 p.m. at the Forecourt of the State House in Accra, with burial proceedings to follow at 2:30 p.m. at the Military Cemetery in the capital.
See the statement as shared by the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation’s (GBC) Facebook page:
Murtala and Muniru’s graves at military cemetery
Already, preparations are underway for the burial of the Murtala and Muniru. A later video released by GBC showed the deceased’s graves being dug at the military cemetery.
An excavator stood at the site after digging two holes, while some men erected many tents and adorned them with Ghana colours.
Watch the video below:
Murtala and Muniru die in helicopter crash
Dr Mohammed Murtala and Alhaji Muniru Limuna passed away on Wednesday, August 6, 2025, when a Ghana Armed Forces aircraft, a Z-9 helicopter, crashed and burst into flames in the Sikaman Forest within the Adansi South District of the Ashanti Region.
The aircraft was carrying a high-level government delegation travelling to Obuasi for the launch of the Responsible Cooperative Mining and Skills Development Programme (rCOMSDEP).
Among the eight victims was Defence Minister Dr Edward Omane Boamah, who was representing President John Mahama as the special guest of honour after the President’s last-minute cancellation, former Ashanti Regional Minister and NDC Vice Chairman, Dr Samuel Sarpong, and former Parliamentary Candidate for Obuasi East, Samuel Aboagye.
Others were Squadron Leader Peter Bafemi Anala, Flying Officer Manin Twum-Ampadu Sergeant Ernest Addo Mensah.
Watch the Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, list the victims of the crash below:
Government response to Obuasi helicopter crash
Following the tragic incident, separate government delegations led by Vice President Professor Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang and Julius Debrah were dispatched to notify the families of the deceased.
The delegation included NDC National Chairman Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, Presidential Advisor Joyce Bawa Mogtari, Deputy Defence Minister Brogya Genfi, Youth and Sports Minister Kofi Adams, and Chief of Defence Staff Major General William Agyapong.
A three-day national mourning was declared, starting from Thursday, August 7, to Saturday, August 9, 2025. The national mourning was climaxed with a vigil for the eight victims.
The severity of the burns was such that DNA tests had to be conducted. On August 7, samples of the victims were reportedly airlifted to South Africa for the tests. It has not yet been officially communicated if the test results are in; however, the decision to bury Murtala and Muniru suggests they must have been fully identified.
It is worth noting that investigations into the cause of the helicopter crash are underway as the country grapples with this unprecedented tragedy that has shaken the political and military establishment.
Source: YEN.com.gh
