- CAS Aneke praises pilots for courage, discipline and sound judgment
A Nigerian Air Force (NAF) jet has reportedly crashed near Karabonde community in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger state.
Reports from eyewitnesses confirmed that the two pilots successfully ejected before the aircraft went down and caught fire around 4:10 p.m on Saturday.
One of the eyewitnesses told reporters that “The jet landed close to the town, and fortunately, the pilots ejected safely” before the aircraft busted into flames.
It was also reliably gathered that the ill-fated jet took off from the Kainji Air Force Base, which is close to Karabonde town.
Reacting to the unfortunate development, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Director of Public Relations and Information, Ehimen Ejodame, said the incident occured during a post-inspection test flight emergency.
The statement said; “The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) commends the exceptional bravery and professionalism of its Alpha Jet pilots who safely ejected following an in-flight emergency during a post-inspection functional check flight today, 6 December 2025, at Nigerian Air Force Base Kainji”.
According to Ejodame, “Shortly after take-off, the aircraft developed an emergency, prompting the pilots to act swiftly and with remarkable composure. They expertly manoeuvred the aircraft away from populated areas before executing a safe ejection. The crew is currently undergoing routine medical evaluation.
“The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, has praised the pilots for their courage, discipline and sound judgement, which prevented loss of life. He has also directed the immediate constitution of a Board of Inquiry to investigate the incident.
“The Nigerian Air Force reassures the public of its unwavering commitment to stringent safety standards and operational excellence.
“The NAF remains dedicated to safeguarding its personnel while protecting the lives and property of citizens in line with its constitutional mandate.”
Available information showed that the latest incident is not the first crash by an Air Force jet.
Recalled that in 2015, an Air Force’s Dornier-228 aircraft, with call sign NAF030, crashed into Ribadu Cantonment (Old NDA) in Kaduna State, killing all seven passengers on board.
Similarly, another air force aircraft crashed in Kaduna in 2017 with the then Director of Public Relations and Information, Olatokunbo Adesanya confirming that one of the pilot instructors died in the crash.
Also in 2021, a NAF fighter jet deployed to fight Boko Haram insurgents lost radar contact and crashed in Borno State.
The most recent incident occured in 2023 when a NAF trainer aircraft crashed in Makurdi, the Benue state capital.
Though no deaths were recorded, the Nigerian Air Force had confirmed then that the two pilots on board were injured and hospitalised.
