Boko Haram: Nigerian Air Force jet crashes during operation against insurgents

A Nigerian Air Force (NAF) helicopter, has crashed while providing support to troops of 145 battalion, at Damasak in Borno State on Wednesday.

The Director of Public Relations and Information, Ibikunle Daramola, disclosed this, but failed to give details of the model of the helicopter nor how many personnel were inside it at the time the crash happened.

The Nigerian Air Force has over a dozen of Russian-made helicopters, MMil Mi-17 and Mil Mi-24 models.

“The incident, occurred about 7:45 pm today, 2 January 2019. Details of the cause of the crash are still scanty.

“As soon as the details of the crash are known, they will be made available to the public,” he said in a statement.

The incident happened hours after Daramola announced that the Air Task Force (ATF) of Operation LAFIYA DOLE, destroyed a building being used as meeting venue by Boko Haram fighters near Baga, still in Borno.

“The attack was conducted on January 1, 2019, after series of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions confirmed that the building was being used as an assembly point by the terrorists. Consequently, the ATF dispatched a NAF Alpha Jet aircraft to attack the building.

“A direct hit was recorded on the target leading to significant damage to the structure and neutralisation of the occupants,” Daramola said.