A Nigerian military helicopter on surveillance mission has
crashed in Damare, a suburb of Girei Local Government Area of Adamawa state.
A resident, Jamilu Inuwa, said he saw the chopper go down.
“The helicopter crashed in Damare,” he said. “I don’t know
if it is a military plane or not.” he said.
The helicopter was on
surveillance mission and was carrying arms and ammunition.
He said he was further told that there were some foreigners
aboard.
“Immediately after the crash, soldiers were drafted to the
scene to cordon off the scene,” Mr. Inuwa also said the scene of the crash is
not far from the temporary camp of the National Youth Service Corps which is
serving as a base for the internally displaced persons [IDPs] in the state.
The spokesperson of the Defence headquarters, Chris
Olukolade, a Major General, could not be reached for comments just as the
spokesperson of the Nigerian Air Force, Dele Alonge. They did not answer
or return calls
News of the helicopter crash came about two months after a
Nigerian Air Force fighter jet, went missing during routine operations in the
northern part of Adamawa State.
The Nigerian Air Force aircraft went missing on September
12.
The aircraft, an Alpha Jet (NAF 466) was involved in the
counter insurgency operation against the extremist Boko Haram sect.
The whereabouts of the missing Alpha Jet had become a
subject of conjectures following the inability of the Nigeria Air Force to tell
Nigerians what actually happened to the fighter jet.
Boko Haram insurgents later claimed shooting the aircraft
down in a video in which they appeared to slaughter one of the pilots of the
missing Alpha Jet.
But last week, local fishermen claimed they found wreckages
of the jet which disappeared on September 12, in the River Benue.
The fishermen said they found the aircraft at Kwa Ine
Village, Demsa Local Government, Adamawa State about 50 kilometers away from
Yola, the state capital.
Via.premiumtimes
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