Buhari Shocked As Terrorists Shoot Down NAF Jet, Commends Pilot

President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed shock at the news that a Nigerian Air Force Jet crashed after coming under heavy attack by terrorists.

The President expressed his view after he was given a security briefing about the NAF Alpha jet which crashed at the weekend in Zamfara State.

Buhari however commended the pilot that successfully ejected and escaped to safety when the bandits attacked the jet.

According to a statement on Tuesday by his special assistant on media and publicity, Garba Shehu, “President Muhammadu Buhari has commended the gallant pilot of the Nigerian Air Force Alpha Jet, Flight Lieutenant Abayomi Dairo, who successfully ejected from an aircraft that came under intense ground fire from bandits in Zamfara State, Northwest, at the weekend.

The President, who was briefed on the successful operation by the nation’s defence forces to rescue the pilot, said he was pained by news of the air crash.

“I was shocked by the devastating news of the air crash but felt much relieved, following the successful ejection by the pilot and his eventual rescue. May the injured pilot recover at the earliest time.,’ the President was quoted to have said.

Naija News recalls news of the military plane crash broke on Sunday but NAF spokesperson, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet in his immediate reaction, said he didn’t have any information about a plane crash in Kaduna but was awaiting information from other locations.

However, on Monday, Gabkwet released an update in which he acknowledged a plane crash in Zamfara State without any human casualty as the pilot ejected and escaped to safety.