shroud of secrecy appears to surround
the shooting down last week of a military
plane allegedly
carrying Ukrainian mercenaries. Nigerian military
officials as well as Ukrainian diplomats deflected
questions on the attack in which five occupants
of a surveillance plane, according to details
provided to SaharaReporters by a military
source.
A Nigerian Airforce Alpha jet
Our military source said the insurgents fired on
and hit the plane as it carried out surveillance
operations over Sambisa Forest, a well-known
hiding place for Islamist terrorists, Boko Haram.
Our source disclosed that five foreign soldiers
were killed when the plane went down after it
was hit by insurgent anti-aircraft fire. The source
said he was not able to confirm the nationality
of other casualties, but added that many of
those engaged in the operations were
from Ukraine. He added that a Nigerian pilot on
board was critically injured.
Since February, the Nigerian military has been
carrying out offensive operations against Boko
Haram insurgents holed up in the Sambisa
Forest.
SaharaReporters contacted the Ukrainian
Embassy in Abuja about the reported death of
mercenaries from their country. But an official at
the embassy said he could not confirm any
report and directed our correspondent to the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kiev, Ukraine.
The Nigerian military also appeared reluctant to
the downing of the military aircraft. When
SaharaReporters approached the spokesperson
to the Nigerian Air Force, Comodore Alonge, he
told our reporter he was not aware of the crash.
Also, the spokesperson to the Nigerian Army,
Colonel S.K Usman told SaharaReporters he will
respond to our inquiry but he is yet to return our
call and several text messages on the matter 48
hours after we contacted him.
Two other officials at the Army headquarters in
Abuja declined to discuss the development. One
officer, who asked not to be named, said the
newly appointed Chief of Army Staff, Major-
General Tukur Yusufu Buratai, was in Damaturu,
capital of Yobe State, to celebrate Eid-Fitr with
Nigerian troops. General Buratai was seen
praying with civilians shortly after two suicide
bombers killed at least 50 people in Damaturu.
Our security source disclosed that the Nigerian
military maintains an air unit composed of
mercenaries, adding that the force was distinct
from the Nigerian Air Force, to the point that the
two are often in conflict over air operations in
Nigeria’s terror-plagued northeast zone.
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