Military Jet Crashes in Niger Community as Pilots Eject Safely

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A Nigerian Air Force jet has reportedly gone down near Karabonde, Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State.

A Niger State-based online digital television platform, Lapai TV, disclosed the development in a post shared on its official Facebook page on Saturday evening.

“Two Nigerian Air Force Pilots Reportedly Survive Alpha Jet Crash Close to Karabonde, Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State,” the brief post, which included a 57-second video, stated.

Confirming the event, an eyewitness earlier informed PUNCH Online in a 48-second WhatsApp voice note and a 59-second video that both pilots successfully ejected before the aircraft crashed.

He said, “I think the aircraft took off from the Kainji air force base. We learnt that the air force is mobilising to the crash site.”

Our correspondent also spoke with a resident, who identified himself as Lukman Sulaiman, and he verified the incident.

“It happened some miles away from my home. Actually, the incident happened at Karabonde town of Borgu Local Government at around 4:10pm

“We were all at our respective homes when suddenly, we saw an Alpha Jet that was coming closer to our roof with smoke and flames. Thank God it could have crashed inside town, but the pilots on board were able to control it and took it some miles away from our hometown. Let me say it landed in the backyard of the town. But God was so kind, the two pilots ejected safely using their parachutes.

“Immediately, the plane crashed, and we heard a loud sound. Some of us were scared. We were thinking it was miscreants who shot the place. When we heard it, some people ran away.

“But I stood because I was somehow scared. People started running to the scene, and I joined them. When we got there, we saw the pilots. They had successfully ejected, and they left the scene shortly before we arrived, and they were taken successfully back to their base. Upon arrival, we saw them from a far distance, finding their way.

“The plane was on fire for about 30 minutes. My town shares a boundary with the military base, so upon raising an alarm, men from their base were mobilised, and a fire truck came,” he said.

Meanwhile, the military has yet to issue any official statement regarding the crash as of the time this report was filed.