Airforce Attack Helicopter Crash in Niger State, Amidst Troops’ Fighting With Bandits

An airforce attack helicopter, MI-171, has crashed in Niger State.

The air platform crashed at Chikuba village in Shiroro local government area on Monday.

Airforce spokesman, Air Commodore Edwards Gabkwet, in a statement, said the helicopter had departed from Zungeru primary school in Niger state, on its way to Kaduna when it crashed.

He was silent on likely casualties in the crash.

The crash was recorded amidst fighting between terrorists and troops in Niger state on Monday.

NAF spokesman, Edward Gabkwet, confirmed the accident in a statement.

It was gathered that the helicopter, which was on a casualty evacuation mission, crashed at about 1:00 pm. The number of persons onboard is unknown at the time of filing this report.

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“The aircraft had departed Zungeru Primary School enroute Kaduna but was later discovered to have crashed near Chukuba Village in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State,” Gabkwet said.

“Efforts are currently ongoing to rescue the crew and passengers on board the helicopter, while preliminary investigations have commenced to determine the probable cause of the crash.”

There have been a series of NAF helicopter crashes that have been recorded in the country.

On February 22, 2021, seven NAF personnel on their way from Abuja to Minna, Niger State capital, died when their plane crashed after takeoff from the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja.

In 2017, NAF has confirmed that one of its helicopters, Agusta 109 Light Utility, while undertaking a liaison mission in the North East, suffered a technical mishap and crashed into a pool of water in Borno State. No lives was lost.

Also in 2015, a NAF helicopter crashed into Ribadu Cantonment (Old NDA) in Kaduna state on Saturday, killing all seven passengers.