Benue: NAF helicopter makes emergency landing on farmland

An aircraft belonging to the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) helicopter is reported to have touched down in a farmland in Makurdi, Benue State, after conducting an anti-kidnapping mission.

This happened on Wednesday in the Utur Tse-Igboji area of the Bar Council Ward which lies on the Welfare Quarters-Mopol 13 Ring Road axis of the state’s capital.

Initial reports had indicated that the helicopter developed a technical fault during flight and was forced to land on the farmland.

However, the Nigerian Air Force later clarified that the aircraft had been providing close air support to ground troops during an operation targeting suspected kidnappers in Ogbadigbo Local Government Area of Benue State, near the Enugu-Benue boundary.

According to the NAF, the operation disrupted the activities of the suspected criminals and supported the advance of ground forces.

The Director of Public Relations and Information, NAF Headquarters, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, said the pilot subsequently exercised professional discretion and carried out a precautionary landing while returning to base.

He said the landing was made approximately 10 nautical miles from the airfield and was in line with established operational and safety procedures following combat missions.

The Air Force added that the helicopter has since returned to base.

Eyewitnesses had earlier reported that the aircraft landed on farmland in the community, attracting residents who rushed to the area to assist the military personnel.

A resident, Stephen Ikpam, expressed relief that the personnel on board survived the landing.

Military security personnel subsequently moved to the area to secure the location and assess the situation.

The incident occurred two days after a Nigerian Air Force ATR-42 aircraft with registration number NAF 931 crashed in Igbokoda, Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State.

The aircraft was on a routine mission from Benin City, Edo State, to Lagos when it crashed on October 5. The NAF later confirmed that all 25 people on board, comprising five crew members and 20 passengers, died in the crash.

Unlike the fatal Ondo crash, there were no reported fatalities from the Benue helicopter landing, with the aircraft subsequently returning to base.