A Nigerian Air Force ground attack helicopter on Thursday night crashed around Federal University of Technology, Yola, Adamawa State, about 200 kilometres away from the theatre of terrorists activities.
A terse one paragraph statement posted on Defence Headquarters blog (http://defenceinfo.mil.ng/) disclosed that the crew of three was lost in the mishap but that rescuers worked throughout the night until the Friday morning to preserve the wreckage and scene.
The statement read: “At about 2200hours yesterday 13 November 2014, a ground attack helicopter on an armed patrol crashed around the Federal University of Technology Yola, Adamawa State. The crew of 3 was lost in the ill-fated accident. Rescue party worked throughout the night to preserve the wreckage of the aircraft and scene of the accident for proper investigation to be carried out. Further details would be made known later.”
In the wake of the Boko Haram campaign of terror in the North East states of Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe, the Nigerian Air Force has undertaken at least 6,000 missions in efforts to rid the zone of insurgency.
The missions, aiming to decimate the Boko Haram terrorists with a view to completely curtailing their freedom of actions, comprised ground attacks platforms, mission on ATR-42, Beechcraft air surveillance platform, airlift missions using the G-222 and the C-130H.
Chief of Air Staff of the Nigerian Air Force, Air Marshal Adesola Amosu said at a recent forum at the University of Ibadan that scope of the operations included airlift of troops and equipment, rotation of forces, battlefield interdiction, casualty evacuation, air surveillance Operations and armed reconnaissance Missions among other operations.
