THE Nigerian Air Force (NAF) refuted claims that one of its aircraft had crashed in Kaduna State.
Instead, the NAF clarified that an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) experienced a mishap shortly after take-off.
The clarification came through a statement signed by Air Vice Marshal Edward Gabkwet, NAF’s Director of Public Relations and Information.
Initial reports had suggested that a NAF helicopter crashed early Monday morning in Tami village, Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna. The military reportedly arrived swiftly to secure the crash site, ensuring the safety of the villagers and preventing unauthorized access.
However, NAF’s official statement dispelled these reports: “Contrary to reports on social media as well as on a handful of traditional media outlets that a NAF helicopter had crashed in Kaduna earlier today, 1 July 2024, be informed that no helicopter crash occurred.
“Instead, a NAF Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) experienced a mishap after take-off for a mission, at a location near Rumji Village and about 15 Km from Base. Since it is an unmanned vehicle, there were no casualties on board or on the ground.”
NAF confirmed that a preliminary investigation is underway to determine the cause of the mishap and assured Nigerians that this “minor setback” will not affect ongoing operations.
The Air Force also cautioned against the spread of unverified information, emphasizing the need for accurate reporting: “It should also be pointed out that the propensity to always rush to press in the name of ‘breaking news’ without a hold of the complete facts should be discouraged in its entirety.
“While the news of the crash filtered in, some outlets had misinformed Nigerians that a helicopter had crashed without the decency to clarify from the NAF.
“This attitude should be discouraged as it negates the principle of developmental journalism, balanced reporting, and fairness. Members of the media are again advised to always seek clarification from authorized military outlets before rushing to ‘break’ the news.”
Eighteen-Eleven Media