The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has refuted claims that one of its helicopters crashed early Monday in Tami village, located in the Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
In a statement on Monday, NAF spokesman Edward Gabkwet clarified that it was an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), not a helicopter, that experienced a mishap.
Gabkwet stated, “A NAF unmanned aerial vehicle experienced a mishap after take-off for a mission near Rumji Village, about 15 km from the base. Since it is an unmanned vehicle, there were no casualties on board or on the ground.
“A preliminary investigation has commenced to ascertain the cause of the mishap. Nigerians can rest assured that this minor setback will not affect ongoing operations.”
Following the incident, a team of Air Force personnel from the Nigerian Air Force Air Training Centre and 401 Flying School cordoned off the scene to secure the area for emergency rescue operations and to investigate the cause of the crash.
Earlier, some locals reported that a NAF helicopter had crashed in Tami village, causing alarm among residents. However, these reports were inaccurate, and it was confirmed that the incident involved a UAV, not a helicopter.
