The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has called on Nigerians to shun 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.
In a statement issued by Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, Director of Public Relations and Information Nigeria Air Force recently, it stated that it is not in the character of the NAF to respond to such claims, particularly one peddled by terrorists. However, concerns expressed by well-meaning Nigerians on the need to address the propaganda becomes imperative.
According the statement, like all military organisations involved in counterinsurgency and counter-terrorism operations, incidences of fatalities, mishaps and crashes are sometimes inevitable. It further said that the NAF, in the last 8 years, has seen an increased level of air operations in efforts at checkmating the nefarious activities of terrorists and criminal elements in the country.
The statement noted that 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.
The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar said this when he hosted Governor Umaru Bago of Niger State, at his office recently, 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 involved 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.
He added that 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, need to rethink the consequences of their actions. They should consider what it does to the morale of troops, families of deceased personnel as well as Nigeria’s national security.
The NAF and the entire members of the Armed Forces’ resolve and determination to bring the current security situation in Niger State and indeed all troubled spots in the country remain unshaken, the statement said. “In fact, if anything, we are determined more than ever before, to take on the enemy frontally until they are brought to their knees”.
While calling on all Nigerians to continue to support the Armed Forces of Nigeria and other security agencies as we all jointly confront our common enemies, the NAF appreciated the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for his message of condolence and words of encouragement to the Armed Forces and also to other well-meaning Nigerians for their support.
