Confusion over military helicopter ‘crash’ in Yola

Another military helicopter crashed in Yola, capital of Adamawa state on Friday.

Aliyu Umar, a resident of Yola, who witnessed the incident, told TheCable that the crash occurred at about 1:00pm around the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) camp in Damare.

“It is true that, sadly, in Yola, another helicopter crash was recorded again,” he said.

“I was on my way to a friend’s place when I saw the flames from afar. People were rushing to the scene but I chose not to go.”

Daramola Grace, a corps member in the state, also corroborated Umar’s claim.

“I heard about the incident while returning from the market this afternoon,” she told TheCable.

This would be the third time within two weeks that the military would suffer such setback in that same town.

On November 10,an airforce helicopter on a training mission, crashed after four minutes of taking off at the Yola international airport.

Three days later, another aircraft still belonging to the airforce crashed in Damare, killing all the three crew members.

Meanwhile, the Nigeria army has refuted the report.

Olajide Laleye, a brigadier-general and spokesman of the army, said nothing of such took place.

“No crashes of any type,” he told TheCable through a terse message.

“There was NO crash involving any helicopter or airplane of the Nigerian Air Force today as reported on social media,” the defence headquarters wrote on Twitter .

However,Yakubu Datti, the general manager, corporate communications, Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), also debunked the report.

“What I can tell you right now is that the airport in Yola has not confirmed that. Nothing like that happened to the best of my knowledge,” he said.

“I would still make more enquiries.”