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Boko Haram claim shooting down of Nigerian Air Force jet

Published 02/04/2021, 19:37
Updated 02/04/2021, 19:42
© Reuters.

MAIDUGURI, Nigeria, April 2 (Reuters) - Islamist insurgency
Boko Haram claimed the shooting down of a Nigerian Air Force
fighter jet in a video seen by Reuters on Friday, two days after
the aeroplane went missing in the country's northeast.
Reuters was unable to verify the authenticity of the video.
The loss of Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Alpha Jet 475 dealt a
blow to Nigeria's efforts to combat jihadist insurgencies in the
northeast, where air power has been crucial in attempts to stem
the spread of Boko Haram and its more powerful offshoot, Islamic
State West Africa Province.
Soldiers have for years relied on jet bombardments to turn
the tide of battles against the insurgents, while the air force
often claims successful strikes on the militants.
In Boko Haram's video, the wreckage of a plane lies burned
on the ground, the charred fuselage bearing the phrase "NAF
475."
A masked fighter stands atop the wreckage and identifies the
plane as "jet fighter of the Nigerian Air Force 475", the
footage shows. Later, a mangled corpse is shown in military
fatigues.
"As you can see, this is the pilot of your aircraft, whom
you sent to harm the servant of god," the fighter says. "This is
what god did to him. He fell from the sky, and if you do not
repent this will be your reward."
An air force spokesman said a statement would be issued
soon.
In a statement earlier on Friday, the air force had said:
"the Alpha Jet aircraft (NAF475) that went off the radar with 2
crew members on board on 31 March 2021 might have crashed. The
cause of the crash as well as the whereabouts of the 2 pilots
remain unknown."

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