A Nigerian Air Force ATR 42 aircraft heading for Owerri, Imo State, to aid military operations in the South-East region, crash-landed in Akure, the Ondo State capital, top NAF sources revealed.
The sources added that the crash-landing of the ATR 42 occurred about two weeks ago, a week before the late Chief of the Army Staff, Lt Gen Ibrahim Attahiru, died in a similar NAF jet crash in Kaduna State.
It was gathered that military authorities covered up the incident and failed to make it public to avoid national embarrassment.
Top sources also revealed that the aircraft was conveying some Special Forces personnel to Imo State, some of whom were reportedly injured after the crash.
But there was no casualty according to sources, which made it easier for the NAF authorities to be silent on the incident.
“It was an ATR 42 and we were going to Imo State. The aircraft crashed-landed the next day; the authorities are hiding the incident. The crash occurred in the morning. It was a solely military affair and they prevented anyone of us from taking photographs of the incident.
“It crash-landed at the Akure airport two weeks ago but they hid it. About 15 to 20 personnel were on board to the South-East.”
In about three months, the NAF jets have crashed in the North-Central, North-East, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, and now South-West regions, raising fears about the maintenance culture of the military aircrafts. (SaharaReporters)
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