President of the Senate, David Mark, and his counterpart at the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, have lamented the death of the Kaduna State Governor, Patrick Yakowa and former National Security Adviser, Gen. Owoye Azazi, describing it as devastating.
The Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, and his House of Representatives counterpart, Emeka Ihedioha, described Yakowa and Azazi's demise as a shocking, monumental loss.
In separate condolence messages on Sunday, the presiding officers of the National Assembly expressed worries over the ever increasing frequency of air crashes in Nigeria.
Mark said the crash, which also claimed the lives of the aides of the very important personalities and two pilots was a national tragedy.
He noted that the frequency of air mishaps in the recent times unarguably called for caution and return to the basics.
He said, "My heart goes to the nation, especially the families and friends of the victims. It is another sad moment for the nation. It is a huge burden."
He called on Aviation experts and appropriate authorities to rise up to the challenge to ensure that such air disasters were prevented in the future.
Tambuwal described the air mishap as tragic and sorrowful.
He said, "It is quite unfortunate and disheartening that Nigerians are waking up to the reality of another air disaster which has claimed lives in the country yet again. I mourn the loss of the fine gentlemen aboard the Navy helicopter and pray to God to give our nation the fortitude to bear the loss."
Tambuwal added that in Yakowa, the country had lost one of its best technocrats and administrators.
He said, the House of Representatives, as part of its oversight functions, would liaise with aviation authorities to conduct diligent checks on all military and civilian aircraft flying in the country in order to ascertain their air worthiness and to prevent future mishap.
Ekweremadu also described the death as a monumental loss to the nation.
He noted that both men and other compatriots who lost their lives in the air mishap were illustrious sons of Nigeria who gave their best to their fatherland.
"It is indeed another sad and shocking event in the annals of our nation and I pray that never again should such disaster befall our land," he said.
Ihedioha expressed shock at the helicopter crash, describing it as an unfortunate blight on the history of year 2012.
He said the air mishap had brought unquantifiable pain and distress to the families of the victims as well as the government and people of Kaduna and Bayelsa states.
Leader of the Senate, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, while lamenting the tragedy, challenged the Nigerian aviation authorities to find a lasting solution to the spate of air crashes in the country.
Ndoma-Egba said, "The emotional devastation of frequent air crashes is too much burden on the families involved and even on the country itself. Nigeria cannot continue to lose its best and brightest in frequent air crashes."
