Saturday December 6, 2025
www.thenewsdesk.ng
A fighter jet belonging to Nigerian Air Force has reportedly crashed near Karabonde, Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State, Saturday, December 6, according to The PUNCH reports.
A Niger State-based online digital television network, Lapai TV, stated in a post on its official Facebook account on Saturday evening:
“Two Nigerian Air Force Pilots reportedly survive Alpha Jet crash close to Karabonde, Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State,” the short post, accompanied by a 57-second-long video, read.
Corroborating the incident, an eyewitness said that the two pilots successfully ejected before the aircraft went down.
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.”
A resident who identified himself as Lukman Sulaiman, confirmed the incident.
“The incident happened around 4.10pm. It landed very close town but God so good, the pilots ejected safely,” he said.
Asked if the pilots were uninjured, he stated, “Yes, we heard a noisy landing crash. We were scared. But we eventually started trooping back to the scene.”
The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, reports that the Nigerian Air Force has commended two Alpha Jet pilots who safely ejected after encountering an in-flight emergency during a post-inspection test flight.
The air force, in a statement, said the inspection was conducted at NAF Base Kainji on Saturday.
It said the aircraft had taken off for a routine functional check when it suddenly experienced an emergency.
It said the pilots remained calm, expertly manoeuvred the jet away from populated areas, and then executed a safe ejection in line with global aviation safety procedures.
The air force said the crew’s swift action demonstrated high discipline, competence, and dedication to duty.
NAF said that both pilots had been immediately recovered and were undergoing routine medical checks.
According to the statement, the chief of the air staff, Sunday Aneke, lauded the pilots for their sound judgment, noting that their professionalism averted what could have been a major tragedy.
The air force said Mr Aneke had ordered a board of inquiry to investigate the cause of the incident.
It said the NAF remained committed to maintaining strict safety standards and protecting the lives of its personnel and citizens in line with its constitutional mandate.
Nigerian Air Force Jet Crashes In Niger
