By Ademuyiwa Balikis
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has confirmed the crash of one of its Alpha Jet aircraft during a routine post inspection functional check flight at the Kainji Base in Niger State. The incident occurred on Saturday near Karabonde, a community in Borgu Local Government Area, shortly after the aircraft took off for the evaluation mission.
According to the Air Force, the jet encountered a sudden in-flight emergency that made further operation impossible. The two pilots on board executed emergency procedures, steered the aircraft away from populated areas, and successfully ejected before the crash. Both officers were recovered and taken for standard medical evaluation, and they are reported to be in stable condition.
NAF authorities commended the pilots for what they described as professionalism and quick judgement, noting that their actions prevented loss of life on the ground. The Chief of the Air Staff has directed the immediate establishment of a Board of Inquiry to determine the cause of the malfunction and review the circumstances surrounding the flight.
The Air Force reiterated that it maintains strict safety protocols for aircraft operations and assured the public that findings from the investigation would guide further preventive measures.
