The Boko Haram terrorist group led by Abubakar Shekau has admitted to shooting down the missing Alpha Jet aircraft (NAF475) on Wednesday.
In the seven minutes video, it showed how it shot down the jet mid-air and how fighters carrying RPG and artillery equipment as well as the corpse of the pilot.
On Friday, the Nigerian Airforce revealed through its Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, that the jet might have crashed after announcing that the jet has gone off the radar on 31st March 2021.
The Alpha Jet aircraft which was carrying two crew members; Flight Lieutenant John Abolarinwa and Flight Lieutenant Ebiakpo Chapele, was on a routine mission in the Northern part of Nigeria in support of its troops against the fight on the insurgency.
NAF has not confirmed the reports of Shekau as ‘extensive search and rescue efforts are still ongoing by NAF surveillance aircraft as well as NAF Special Forces and Nigerian Army troops on the ground.
At this point, the NAF is not ruling out anything regarding the incident. It however remains hopeful that the crew would soon be found and rescued.’
