Air Chief insists missing Jet not shot down by Boko Haram

The Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Oladayo Amao has urged pilots, technicians and ground troops of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) not to be discouraged by events of the past few days involving the crash of an Alpha-Jet aircraft, but to remain resolute and unrelenting in the fight against insurgency in the North-east and other parts of the country.

NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, in a statement Sunday said,  receiving a brief from the Air Component Commander Operation LAFIYA DOLE, Air Commodore Nnamdi Ananaba in Maiduguri, on the ongoing collaborative efforts with the Nigerian Army (NA) to locate the actual site of the Alpha Jet crash.

According to the CAS, “Despite the sad events of the past few days, now more than ever before is the time that the NAF must show strength, determination and remain undeterred and unrelenting until the entire North-east is rid of terrorists and other criminal elements”.

Air Marshal Amao noted that, while a lot has been achieved towards degrading the capacity and capability of the insurgents, much more is needed to be done to achieve the desired level of peace and security in the Region. 

“We must continue to work assiduously, in synergy with sister Services and other security agencies, to ensure that peace and security of lives and property are achieved”. He said.

On the crashed NAF Alpha-Jet aircraft, which was declared missing on 31 March 2021 after losing radar contact, the CAS stated that the videos being circulated on social media alluding that the aircraft was shot down were false.

 According to him, “from critical analysis of all available intelligence, it was obvious that the air accident was caused by other factors soon to be unraveled.”

Air Marshal Amao assured the troops of his support to them as they intensify efforts towards ensuring that the fight against insurgency comes to an end in no distant time.

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