There was controversy on Sunday over the reported crash of another Nigerian Air Force Alpha Jet in Kaduna State.
It was gathered from a source close to the Airforce that there was no casualty in the accident as the lone pilot of the fighter plane parachuted to safety.
But NAF NAF’s Director of Public Relations and Information (DOPRI), Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, said the headquarters had not received any operational report of a crash of its aircraft.
He added that no alpha jet left Yola, Adamawa State, where the jet was said to have taken off to Kaduna for an operation against bandits in Birnin-Gwari Local Government Area.
A NAF source, who spoke with The Nation said: “I can tell you there was a crash. It involved an Alpha Jet. I can also tell you that there was no casualty. The pilot was able to eject before the crash.
“The jet which departed Adamawa State, was on a mission to fight against bandits in Kaduna State.”
He added that rescue parties had been despatched to search for the fighter jet.
The latest incident is the fourth involving the NAF fleet this year. One led to the death of was a serving Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Lt.-Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru and 10 other officers in Kaduna two months ago.
On April 2, another Alpha jet crashed in Borno during an operation. There was also the Minna-bound Beechcraft King Air350i crash of March 21, that killed all seven people on board.
According to reports, there have been 11 military plane crashes in Nigerian since 2015 that killed no fewer than 33 officers.