By Valentine Amanze, Online Editor
Islamic militant group, Boko Haram, has claimed the shooting down of a Nigerian Air Force fighter jet in a viral video on Friday.
The fighter was reported missing two days ago, while on official duty in Borno State North East Nigeria.
Reuters, which claimed to have watched the video, reported on Friday that it was unable to verify its authenticity.
The loss of Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Alpha Jet 475 has however dealt a blow to Nigeria’s efforts to combat jihadist insurgencies in the North East, where air power has been crucial in attempts to stem the spread of Boko Haram and its more powerful offshoot, Islamic State West Africa Province.
Soldiers had for years relied on jet bombardments to turn the tide of battles against the insurgents, while the air force often claims successful strikes on the militants.
In Boko Haram’s video, the wreckage of a plane lies burned on the ground, the charred fuselage bearing the phrase “NAF 475.”
A masked fighter stands atop the wreckage and identifies the plane as “jet fighter of the Nigerian Air Force 475”, the footage shows.
Later, a mangled corpse is shown in military fatigues.
“As you can see, this is the pilot of your aircraft, whom you sent to harm the servant of god,” the fighter says.
“This is what god did to him. He fell from the sky, and if you do not repent this will be your reward.”
An Air Force spokesman said that a statement would be issued soon.
In a statement earlier on Friday, the Air Force had said: “The Alpha Jet aircraft (NAF475) that went off the radar with 2 crew members on board on 31 March 2021 might have crashed. The cause of the crash as well as the whereabouts of the 2 pilots remain unknown.”
