The Nigerian Airforce (NAF) has debunked report by an online medium (Daily Post) that an its Alpha jet crashed in Kaduna.
According to the medium, “The fighter jet left Yola, the Adamawa capital, this morning (Sunday) to go clear bandits before it was reportedly gone down.”
Quoting a source, the medium said the location was given as “somewhere in Kaduna state”.
Similarly, Daily Sun reports that a top NAF officer who does not want to be mentioned in print, told Daily Sun that the NAF base at Yola is already in a mourning mood as the news of the crash filtered in.
Although the NAF is yet to confirm the crash, the source said “I can tell you authoritatively that a NAF Alfa Jet has crashed in Kaduna. The Jet left Yola for anti banditry operations in Kaduna.
“As we speak, we don’t know the state of the crew on board but a search team has left for the crash site. The Air Force base around Yola is now in a mourning mood as this crash is becoming too much for the NAF, the authorities need to do something even if it means going spiritual because this is not ordinary”.
But reacting to the reports, Nigerian Air Force spokesman, Air Commodore Edward Gabwet, said “No crash in Kaduna. No aircraft left Yola for Kaduna….. I am making contact and awaiting information from other locations. Thanks.”
The military has recorded a number of crashes in 2021.
In May, a NAF aircraft crashed at Kaduna airport, a serving Chief of Army Chief, Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru and 10 other officers.
Also, in March another Alpha jet crashed in Borno during an operation with 2 pilot onboard.
On February 21, a Minna-bound military jet on surveillance mission crashed near Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja killing all 7 people on board.
