A NIGERIAN Air Force (NAF) helicopter crash-landed in Benue State on Wednesday after providing close air support to ground troops during an operation against suspected kidnappers in the state, a source told News Point Nigeria.
Confirming the report, in its official statement, NAF described the incident as a “precautionary landing,” saying the pilot exercised his professional discretion to land approximately 10 nautical miles from the airfield after successfully completing the mission.
However, the source told News Point Nigeria that the aircraft touched down on a farmland in the Utur Tse-Igboji community of Makurdi, while the NAF said the helicopter had been involved in an operation targeting suspected kidnappers in Ogbadigbo Local Government Area, near the Enugu-Benue boundary.
Ehimen Ejodame, NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, said the operation disrupted the activities of the criminal elements and supported the advance of the ground forces.
“Following the successful completion of the mission, the pilot, on return to base, exercised his professional discretion to execute a precautionary landing approximately 10 nautical miles from the airfield,” the statement reads.
“This is in accordance with established operational and safety procedures following combat missions.
“The helicopter has returned to base.”
The incident occurred two days after a NAF aircraft crashed in Igbokoda, Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, with 25 passengers and seven crew members on board.
The aircraft, an ATR-42 with tail number NGR 931, plunged into a swamp opposite the naval base in the early hours of Monday.
Ejodame, in a statement on Tuesday, said Sunday Aneke, Chief of Air Staff (CAS), described the incident as a deeply painful moment for the Air Force and the nation.
He added that no survivors had been found.
President Bola Tinubu declared three days of national mourning in the wake of the tragedy.
