Missing Air Force jet found crashed in Borno community

• No traces of pilots yet

The missing Alpha jet of the Nigerian Air Force has been found to have crashed at Abba-Jille in the Konduga Local Government Area of Borno State.

The location of the crash has been given as approx 30Kms outskirt from the city of Maiduguri.

Intelligence report gathered by the Nigerian Air Force also indicated that the Alpha jet (NAF475) that went off the radar with two crew members might have crashed.

NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, disclosed this early Friday, saying the cause of the crash as well as the whereabouts of the two pilots remained unknown.

According to him the pilots of the ill-fated aircraft are Flight Lieutenant John Abolarinwa and Flight Lieutenant Ebiakpo Chapele.

He added that extensive search and rescue efforts were still ongoing by NAF surveillance aircraft as well as NAF Special Forces and Nigerian Army troops on the ground.

“At this point, the NAF is not ruling out anything regarding the incident. It however remains hopeful that the crew would soon be found and rescued,” he stated.

The fighter jet was said to have been seen flying around Goni Kurmiri and Njimia villages after attacking terrorist locations within the Sambisa axis.

The plane lost contact with radar in Borno State, while on interdiction mission in support of ground troops.

Gabkwet had said, “The mission was part of the ongoing counterinsurgency operations in the North East.

“The loss of radar contact occurred at about 5.08pm on 31 March, 2021.”