Boko Haram lied on missing aircraft, says Nigerian Air Force

 

The Nigerian Air Force has rejected the claims made by jihadist sect, Boko Haram, that it shot down the missing aircraft which disappeared on Wednesday.

MuchTalksBlog reports that Boko Haram had released a video of the alleged downing of an aircraft; even as it claimed responsibility for the incident.

However, the Air Force has dismissed the claims as a case of propaganda. The aircraft had been declared missing during an operation against Boko Haram terrorists in Borno on Wednesday. On Thursday, the Air Force said the jet may have crashed. However, it disclosed that the the cause of the crash was yet to be arrived at.

In addition, it had released the names of the pilots of the missing aircraft.

However, Boko Haram had claimed its fighters had shot down the aircraft. The sect had made this known on Friday alongside a video which showed parts of what looked like the body of a pilot.

In a swift rebuttal, Air Force spokesperson Edward Gabkwet had poured cold water on the claims.

“Although the video is still being thoroughly analysed; it is evident that most parts of the video were deliberately doctored to give the false impression that the aircraft was shot down. For instance, the video clip failed to show the correlation between the sporadic shooting; which even from casual observation was obviously aimed at ground targets, and the sudden mid-air aircraft explosion. In addition, it is almost impossible for an aircraft to have exploded mid-air; in the manner depicted in the video, and still have a good part of its fuselage; including its tail, intact.

”Indeed, an explosive impact of that nature would have scattered the debris of the aircraft across several miles.

‘‘It is obvious that the Boko Haram Sect, in its characteristic manner of employing false propaganda; is seeking to claim credit for what was obviously an air accident that could have been caused by several other reasons; particularly at a time when the capability of the group to inflict mayhem has been significantly degraded by the Armed Forces of Nigeria.

‘‘Consequently, Nigerians are please advised to ignore the contents of the videos making the rounds; until all investigations as to how the aircraft crashed are completed.”