Helicopter crash: Villagers relocate for safety
Bintu jidda kanempress
15 august 2023
Villagers in Chukuba community of Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger have relocated to neighbouring areas of Erena, Zumba and Gwada in Shiroro, following the crash of a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) helicopter in the area.
Chairman, Shiroro Local Government, Alhaji Akilu Ishaku, said this in Minna on Monday.
Alhaji Ishaku said he received the information of the air crash from the security personnel in the area, Village Head of Galkogo and other stakeholders in the area where the incident occurred.
“As the chief security officer of Shiroro Local Government, I have received reports of an aircraft crash, but the report did not state exactly who the aircraft belongs to.
“The name of the village where the crash happened is Badna village under Kwaki Chukuba ward.
“The people claimed they saw flame from a distance and saw that it was a helicopter that was on fire,” Alhaji Ishaku said.
Ishaku said that the incident made people from the area to flee in droves for safety as a result of fear and were taking shelter in Erana, Zumba and Gwada.
The NAF in a statement by its Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, on Monday in Abuja, confirmed the crash of one of its aircraft in Chukuba village, Niger state.
Gabkwet said the aircraft departed Zungeru Primary School en route to Kaduna but was later discovered to have crashed in a village in Shiroro LGA of Niger.
According to Gabkwet the aircraft was on a casualty evacuation mission when the crash happened.
“a Mi-171 helicopter on a casualty evecaution mission crashed at about 1:00 p.m. at Chukuba village in Niger.
