Nsikak Eduok, former air force chief, is dead 

Nsikak Eduok, former chief of air staff, is dead. 

Eduok died Wednesday night, aged 74, in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state capital. 

Family sources said the retired air-marshal had been battling with a kidney-related crisis before he eventually gave up. 

Born on July 11, 1947, he enrolled in the Nigerian air force in 1968 as a probable pilot. 

He trained at the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) before going for his principal flying training in 1970. 

After completing his principal training In 1971, he proceeded for the basic flying training course and emerged the best overall student. 

In the same year he was decorated second lieutenant. 

Between 1971 and 1986, Eduok attended several flying courses which included advanced and tactical flying training course, aircraft accident investigation course, MiG-21 conversion course in the Soviet Union, and advanced staff course in the United Kingdom.

He attended USAF Air War College in Alabama where he graduated in 1992. 

Between 1975 and 1976, Eduok was the first operations officer of the Makurdi strike group. 

He became the 12th chief of air staff on August 27, 1993. The appointment was reversed a week later. But he was reappointed air chief on March 30, 1996 by Sani Abacha, the late military dictator.

Eduok retired from the military in 1999.