Two  pilots feared dead  in Nigerian Air Force helicopter crash in Kaduna

 

Emmauel Awari – Jallingo with agency reports

 

Two  pilots killed in Air Force helicopter crash in Kaduna

Another tragedy may have befallen the Nigerian military that has been waging an asymmetric war against terrorists in the North for over one decade now as a military aircraft belonging to the Nigerian Airforce (NAF), crashed in Kaduna State on Tuesday with two pilots, Flight Lieutenants Alkali and Karatu said to be on board.

The two pilots, Flight Lieutenants Alkali and Karatu, were recent graduates of the Nigeria Defence Academy (NDA), it was learnt on Tuesday.

The duo was part of the Nigerian Airforce officers who returned from Pakistan last year April following a six months training at the SouthEast Asian country.

A source close to the two officers told our Correspondent that as at last year April when he last saw them, they were not married.

.Helicopter crash has been on the rise in recent times in Nigeria.

Recall that 11 months ago, Ibrahim Attahiru, Chief of Army Staff, and 10 other senior military officers died in a NAF’s Beechcraft 350, which crashed around the Kaduna International Airport.

In fact, between August 29, 2015 and 2021, Nigeria suffered 11 military plane crashes with no fewer than 33 military officers perishing.

These include the Air Force plane crash, which killed seven onboard (August 29, 2015) in Kaduna; the F-7NI jet on October 10, 2015, and the Augusta Westland which crashed in Makurdi on November 15.

 

In 2021 alone, the Air Force lost at least three jets. They were the Beechcraft KingAir350i which went down with all seven officers on board in Abuja on March 21, 2021; the Alpha Jet which crashed while supporting troops in the North-East on April 3, 2021, and now the biggest of them all – the crash of a military jet conveying Nigeria’s 25th Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru and 10 other officers on board at the Kaduna Airport.

General Attahiru assumed the post on January 26, 2021.

He was said to be on his way to Kaduna to attend a passing-out parade for army recruits.

Following the incident, members of the minority caucus in the house of representatives had asked the federal government to ensure that a “system-wide investigation” is conducted into such incidents involving military aircraft in the country.

 

Meanwhile, Troops of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) have eliminated a top leader of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), Ammar Bin-Umar, in Lake Chad during massive airstrikes.

 

It was gathered  that the coordinated airstrikes was carried out by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Super Tucano in coordination with the MNJTF, Niger Air Task Force’s Mi35 and Mi171 helicopter Gunship on April 14, 2022 in Arinna, Marte Local Government (LGA) of Borno state.

The terrorist was reportedly among the top ISIS Mujahedeens dialogue committee deployed to the Boko Haram/Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) caliphates in February 2022, to intervene following prolonged supremacy squabble among the Jamā’at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da’wah wa’l-Jihād/ISWAP.

 

This newspaper learned that there is growing apprehension and panic among Boko Haram/ISWAP elements over clearance Operations of the MNJTF task force in some of its strong holds in Abadam and Marte local government areas.

In another development, Iware town, Ardo Kola local government area of Taraba state  Tuesday evening experienced an explosion that disrupted the peace of the bar.

 

An eye witness in Iware who spoke to  our correspondent  via telephone said the bomber who was accompanied by another disguised as customers.

 

According to him, the explosive was hidden in a black polythene bag and carefully dropped at the drinking spot by the bomber before leaving the bar.

 

“Two guys came to the drinking spot as if they wanted to buy the local beer.

 

“After they were served the one holding the poly bag containing the bomb dropped his beer and the polythene bag and left.

 

“The accomplice who then said he was going to look for his friend and would come back.

 

“After he had also left, the bomb exploded and many people were injured while some others were killed.”

 

Confirming the incident, spokesman of Taraba state Police Command said 3 persons were killed while 19 others were injured.

 

It is however gathered that one of the suspect was apprehended and killed by  angry youths.