Nigerian Air Force gives details about last mission of crashed military plane
- The Nigerian Air Force has reacted to the death of its officers in an air crash
- A spokesperson for the force, Ibikunle Daramola, disclosed the circumstances surrounding the crash
- President Buhari has mourned the death of the Nigerian Air Force
PAY ATTENTION: Join Legit.ng Telegram channel! Never miss important updates!
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has disclosed its Beechcraft KingAir B350i aircraft that crashed on Sunday, February 21, was scheduled to take part in a mission to rescue the abducted Kagara students before it crashed.
A spokesperson for the Air Force, Ibikunle Daramola, disclosed in a statement that the aircraft crashed while returning to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja after reporting engine failure en-route Minna.
Source: Facebook
He said the plane was to assist in carrying out surveillance missions over Niger state and its environs as part of the rescue efforts.
The statement read in part:
"The Nigerian Air Force (NAF), earlier today, 21 February 2021, confirmed that one of its aircraft, a Beechcraft KingAir B350i (NAF 201), crashed while returning to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja after reporting engine failure enroute Minna, where it was scheduled to conduct surveillance missions over Niger State and its environs in connection with the concerted efforts to secure the release of the students/staff abducted from the Government Science College Kagara, Niger state.''
Daramola stated that the seven personnel on board the plane died in the crash.
Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari has sent condolences to the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) and the families, friends and colleagues of the seven victims of the military plane crash.
PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read the best news on Nigeria’s #1 news app
A statement by presidential spokesperson, Femi Adesina, indicates that the president was deeply saddened by the fatal crash of the NAF's Beechcraft KingAir B350i aircraft.
The Nigerian leader said he joined the Nigerian Air Force, the military, and other Nigerians in mourning the unfortunate loss of the dedicated and courageous personnel.
In another report, the Zamfara state governor, Bello Matawalle, has claimed that the students abducted by bandits from the Government Science Secondary School, Kagara in Niger state are being held around Birnin Gwari in Kaduna state.
The governor made the claim in an interview on Channels TV on Sunday, February 21
Matawalle stated that the success in Nigeria’s fight against criminality depends largely on the cooperation from stakeholders in the country.
Kess Ewubare is a senior political/current affairs correspondent at Legit.ng. He has both a BSc and a Master’s degree in mass communication. He has over 10 years of experience in working in several fields of mass communication including radio, TV, newspaper, and online. For Kess, journalism is more than a career, it is a beautiful way of life.
Source: Legit.ng
