Edward Gabkwet, the NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, issued a press release on Wednesday, addressing the situation.

He stated that the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) had become aware of a circulating video on social media platforms that supposedly showed the wreckage of the crashed MI-171 helicopter along with the bodies of victims at Chukuba Village in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State.

Gabkwet categorized the viral video as propaganda and cautioned those responsible against continuing such actions.

The statement read, “the attention of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has been drawn to a video circulating on social media platforms allegedly depicting the wreckage of the crashed MI-171 helicopter with bodies of victims at Chukuba Village in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State.

“While it is not in the character of the NAF to respond to such claims, particularly one peddled by terrorists, concerns expressed by well-meaning Nigerians on the need to address the propaganda becomes imperative.”

“Like all military organisations involved in counterinsurgency and counterterrorism operations, incidences of fatalities, mishaps and crashes are sometimes inevitable. For the NAF, the last 8 years has seen an increased level of air operations in efforts at checkmating the nefarious activities of terrorists and criminal elements in the country.

“With heightened levels of air operations, occasioned by an enhanced fleet, the likelihood of air mishaps and accidents at times become unavoidable and inevitable due to various reasons.

“Indeed, the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar said this much when he hosted Governor Umaru Bago of Niger State, yesterday 15 August 2023, at his office where he noted that the rates of aircraft accidents/incidents are directly proportional to the heightened level of air operations. While the NAF regrets such unfortunate incidents, especially as they involve the loss of lives of our colleagues, the Service will never shy away from unraveling the probable cause of the crash with a view to drawing lessons.”