Heroic village boy who rescued 5 aircrash survivors in Benue 20 years ago now army officer
Marries his heartthrob in grand style
Twenty years after a life-defining act of courage at a tragic plane crash scene, Detimbir Chia, who as a 13-year-old village boy helped save lives, has risen through the ranks of the Nigerian Army and is now a captain.
Chia, who gained national attention in 2006 for his bravery following a Nigerian Air Force Dornier 228 crash in the Ngokugh Hills of Benue State, recently tied the knot in a ceremony attended by dignitaries and well-wishers in Makurdi, the state capital.
Among those present at the wedding held on Saturday, April 4, 2026, was a retired senior military officer, General Nuhu Bala Angbazo, one of the survivors of the ill-fated crash whom Chia helped rescue two decades ago.
Recounting the incident in a statement, Angbazo described the young Chia as an unlikely hero whose actions proved decisive at a critical moment.
He said, “On September 17, 2006, I survived a tragic Nigerian Army aircraft crash over the Benue Valley. In that moment of uncertainty, help came from the most unexpected place—a 13-year-old boy from Mbakunu in the Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State, Detimbir Chia.
“Untrained and unprepared, yet courageous, he played a critical role in saving my life that day.”
Angbazo added that the encounter marked the beginning of a lifelong commitment to the boy’s future.
“I made a decision then: such courage must not go unnoticed. I took responsibility for his future and supported his journey into the Nigerian Army. Yesterday, April 4, 2026, I stood in honour as that same young boy—now Captain Chia—got married. I am proud of the man he has become,” he said.
The retired general also noted that prominent personalities, including a former Governor of Benue State, Gabriel Suswam, graced the occasion.
Chia’s story dates back to September 17, 2006, when a Nigerian Air Force Dornier 228 aircraft carrying 18 passengers crashed into the Ngokugh Hills.
At the time, Chia had been working on his family’s farm in Mbakunu village when he witnessed the crash.
Driven by curiosity and urgency, he rushed to the scene, where he discovered the wreckage and survivors struggling for help.
Using a mobile phone recovered from one of the injured officers, the young boy contacted his father, and together, they mobilised efforts that led to the rescue of five survivors from the crash.
The incident, though tragic for the Nigerian Air Force and the victims involved, marked a turning point in Chia’s life, eventually opening the path that led him into military service.
Now a captain in the Nigerian Army, his journey from a rural farm boy to an officer has been widely described as a testament to courage, resilience, and the power of opportunity.
Saturday’s wedding ceremony not only celebrated a new chapter in his personal life but also served as a poignant reminder of a heroic act that continues to inspire many across the country.
