The Nigerian Air Force (NAF), has announced the crashing of another platform, MI-171 Helicopter on a casualty evacuation mission, at about 1.00pm near Chukuba Village in Niger State.

Director of Public Relations and Information Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, who announced the tragic incident in a statement, said, the aircraft had departed Zungeru Primary School enroute Kaduna but was later discovered to have crashed near Chukuba Village in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State.

Air Commodore Gabkwet said: “Efforts are currently ongoing to rescue the crew and passengers on board the helicopter, while preliminary investigations have commenced to determine the probable cause of the crash”.

Recall that on 14 July 2023 at about 4.15pm, a Nigerian Air Force FT-7NI trainer aircraft crashed in Makurdi, Benue State, while on a routine training exercise.  This is in addition to several others that had crashed in recent history.

Experts have continued to expressed concern over the incessant air mishaps involving Nigerian Air Force platforms. Under the watch of immediate past Chief of Air Staff, no fewer than four platform crashed. But an eye witness gave a contrary account of the incident.

“The criminals ambushed and killed 13 soldiers along  the Zungeru – Tegina road in Madaka Ward of Rafi Local Government Area of the state after the Military helicopter had crashed.
According to the convener, Shiroro Concerned Youths, Mr. Sanni Kokki, disclosed this in a telephone interview with journalists in Abuja yesterday afternoon.
He said the unfortunate incident happened on Monday morning.

Kokki said, “As  we are talking now  villagers living around the area are all now moving towards Erena. This is another problem again because people are being displaced from their traditional homes to unknown destinations.
“We are having another humanitarian crisis in our hands with the economic challenges confronting our people.”
When contacted , the Senator representing Niger East Senatorial District, Mohammed Sani Musa, lamented the situation describing it as highly unfortunate.

He called on the federal government to despatch all its military and security arsenals to the troubled areas inorder to save innocent lives and their property.

Musa said, “This is a very serious situation happening at a time we are happy that the issue of banditry is subsiding  in our various communities in Niger State.

“The Federal Government should as a matter of urgency, deploy all its arsenal in order to curtail further spread. We have been having a reduction in cases of attacks but now it appear as if there is a serious escalation of the situation.

“The most alarming situation now is that the attacks look like a planned work because the bandits are carrying out their operations simultaneously in many parts of Niger State.
“Government should please, as a matter of urgency, take a drastic action on it and save lives and property of our people.”