The Nigerian Army has said troops of Operation Desert Sanity have found the wreckage of a crashed Alpha Jet aircraft in Sambisa Forest, Borno State, one year after Boko Haram terrorists claimed to have shot it down
In a statement on its official twitter handle. the Army said the aircraft (NAF 475), which had two crew members, had gone off the radar on March 31, 2021.
The statement read, “Troops of Operation Desert Sanity on clearance patrol in Sambisa Forest, Borno State, have uncovered the wreckage of crashed Alpha Jet aircraft (NAF475) that went off the radar with two crew members on 31 March 2021. Further exploitation ongoing.”
No update was issued on the two pilots that were on board the aircraft, Flight Lieutenant John Abolarinwa and Flight Lieutenant Ebiakpo Chapele.
The spokesperson for the Nigerian Air Force, Edward Gabkwet, had in a statement in April 2021 expressed fears that the aircraft might have crashed.
“Intelligence report gathered by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) indicates that the Alpha Jet aircraft (NAF475) that went off the radar with two crew members on board on 31 March 2021 might have crashed,” he said.
He added, “Extensive search and rescue efforts are 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.”
The army spokesperson, in a statement, also rubbished claims that the missing aircraft was downed by Boko Haram terrorists as seen in a video circulated on social media.