The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Oladayo Amao, arrived in Borno State on Thursday as search continues for Nigerian Air Force Alpha Jet that went missing on Wednesday evening after it lost contact with the radar.
The missing jet was involved in the counter-insurgency operations in the northeast against Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province when it lost radar contact in the north-east state.
Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, NAF spokesman, said in a statement Amao “arrived Maiduguri this morning and was briefed on ongoing search and rescue efforts in connection with the missing Alpha Jet aircraft”.
Amao “urged pilots, engineers, and technicians to remain undeterred and resolute in their commitment to ensuring that peace returns to the North East,” Gabkwet said.
Gabkwet had earlier on Thursday announced the disappearance of the jet, saying it had lost radar contact since Wednesday evening.
‘Nigerian Air Force Alpha-Jet Loses Radar Contact’, read, “A Nigerian Air Force Alpha Jet has lost contact with radar in Borno State, while on interdiction mission in support of ground troops. The mission was part of the ongoing counterinsurgency operations in the North East. The loss of radar contact occurred at about 5:08 pm on 31 March 2021.
“Details of the whereabouts of the aircraft or likely cause of contact loss are still sketchy but will be relayed to the general public as soon as they become clear. Meanwhile, search and rescue efforts are ongoing,” he said.
Gabkwet had announced that although the whereabouts of the attack jet were unknown at that time, search and rescue efforts were going on.
A NAF Beechcraft KingAir B350i crashed in Abuja in February with all seven officers onboard killed. The jet, which en route Minna in Niger State, crashed close to the runway of the Abuja airport following an engine failure.
