An inquiry has been initiated into the tragic incident involving a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) helicopter that crashed yesterday while en route from Zungeru in Niger State to Kaduna. The NAF has disclosed that the purpose of the probe is to ascertain the likely cause of the mishap.
Local villagers have alleged that the aircraft was brought down by armed bandits shortly after takeoff. A statement issued by Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, the NAF spokesperson, stated, "A Nigerian Air Force MI-171 Helicopter, engaged in a casualty evacuation mission, crashed on August 14, 2023, around 1:00 pm near Chukuba village in Niger state." The helicopter had taken off from Zungeru Primary School and was headed to Kaduna before it was found to have crashed near Chukuba village in the Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger state. Preliminary investigations have commenced to determine the probable cause behind the crash.
Local residents have reported that suspected terrorists shot down the helicopter, leading to the death of one pilot and the injury of another. These criminals are reported to have ambushed and killed 13 individuals along the Zungeru-Tegina Road in the Rafi Local Government Area.
In response to the conflicting reports, Gabkwet assured, "We are committed to transparency and will communicate any pertinent information to the public. However, as our initial statement indicates, our investigation is ongoing."
Sanni Kokki, the Convener of Shiroro Concerned Youths, noted that villagers in the vicinity have begun to flee the area, creating a new humanitarian crisis. He lamented, "Residents in the vicinity are currently relocating to Erena, exacerbating the situation as people are being displaced from their homes. Our community is facing another wave of challenges amidst the prevailing economic difficulties."
Senator Mohammed Sani Musa (APC- Niger East) expressed his dismay over the attacks, describing them as highly unfortunate. He appealed to the Federal Government to deploy both military and security forces to the affected area. Musa emphasized the urgency, stating, "This is a critical situation, especially as we were beginning to see a decline in banditry incidents in Niger State. The Federal Government should act promptly to bring this situation under control. The coordinated nature of these attacks is particularly concerning, indicating a potentially planned effort."
The recent crash follows another aviation incident a month earlier, involving an NAF FT-N7NI trainer plane that went down in Makurdi, the capital of Benue State. Remarkably, the two pilots on board survived the crash and are currently receiving medical treatment at an undisclosed hospital in Abuja.
0 Comments