Karabonde, Borgu LGA, Niger State — December 6, 2025 | Dalena Reporters
A military aircraft belonging to the NAF — an Alpha-jet crashed on Saturday afternoon just outside Karabonde community in the Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State, triggering public alarm and prompting official reaction. The incident occurred around 4:10 p.m., according to residents who watched the aircraft descend in distress and later saw a thick plume of smoke rising near the crash site.
Eyewitnesses say the two pilots aboard ejected safely before the jet went down and caught fire, and no civilian casualties or destruction of homes have been reported so far. The aircraft is understood to have taken off from the NAF Base at Kainji for a post-inspection functional check flight before developing a technical fault that forced the emergency ejection.
In an official statement, the NAF confirmed the crash, commended the pilots for their “courage, discipline and sound judgment,” and said the crew is undergoing medical evaluation. The Service also announced the constitution of a Board of Inquiry to determine the cause of the crash.
As of now, the exact cause of the malfunction remains unknown, and security authorities have yet to say whether any part of the wreckage has posed risks to the community. Local villagers remain apprehensive and call for thorough investigation and transparency about the aftermath of the crash.