By Emmanuel Nduka
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF), has insisted that it will not succumb to “terrorists’ propaganda”, following the sharing of gory images and videos of the ill-fated NAF Helicopter crash in Niger State days ago.
David Hundeyin, an independent investigate journalist, had posted a YouTube video link on his Tweeter (now X) page, showing gory images of dead soldiers, crashed aircraft and armed bandits speaking in local Hausa language, claiming responsibility for shooting down the NAF Helicopter.
The NAF cautioned “those aiding and abetting the propaganda tendencies of terrorists, deliberately or inadvertently, by spreading the videos of the alleged crash site with gory pictures of dead military personnel” to have a rethink of “the consequences of their actions on the morale of troops, families of deceased personnel as well as on Nigeria’s national security is imperative”.
“The attention of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has been drawn to a video circulating on social media platforms allegedly depicting the wreckage of the crashed MI-171 helicopter with bodies of victims at Chukuba Village in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State.
“While it is not in the character of the NAF to respond to such claims, particularly one peddled by terrorists, concerns expressed by well-meaning Nigerians on the need to address the propaganda becomes imperative,” a statement issued on Wednesday by Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, NAF’s Director of Public Relations and Information said on a statement.
The NAF authorities blamed the increased crashes of its air components to “increased level of air operations in efforts at checkmating the nefarious activities of terrorists and criminal elements in the country”.
“With heightened levels of air operations, occasioned by an enhanced fleet, the likelihood of air mishaps and accidents at times become unavoidable and inevitable due to various reasons.
“Indeed, the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar said this much when he hosted Governor Umaru Bago of Niger State, yesterday 15 August 2023, at his office where he noted that the rates of aircraft accidents/incidences are directly proportional to the heightened level of air operations.
“While the NAF regrets such unfortunate incidents, especially as they involve the loss of lives of our colleagues, the Service will never shy away from unravelling the probable cause of the crash with a view to drawing lessons.
“For the NAF and indeed the entire members of the Armed Forces, our resolve and determination to bring the current security situation in Niger State and indeed all troubled spots in the country remains unshaken,” Gabkwet added.
