Nigerian Air Force Corrects Incident Near Kaduna Base as UAV Mishap
The Nigerian Air Force have clarified that an incident involving an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), not a helicopter as previously reported by some social and traditional media, occurred near Rumji Village, approximately 15 km from the base in Kaduna.
Air Marshal Edward Gabkwet, Director of Public Relations and Information, issued a statement on Monday addressing the misinformation as he emphasized that contrary to previous reports, there was no helicopter crash but rather, a NAF UAV encountered a mishap after take-off for a mission.
“Since it is an unmanned vehicle, there were no casualties on board or on the ground. A preliminary investigation has since commenced to ascertain what may have caused the mishap. Nigerians can rest assured that this minor setback will not, in any way, impinge on all ongoing operations.
“It should also be pointed out that the propensity to always rush to press in the name of ‘breaking news’ without hold of the complete facts should be discouraged in its entirety.
“Members of the media are again advised to always seek clarification from authorized military outlets before rushing to ‘break’ the news ” the statement declared.
Furthermore, he criticized the media outlets for spreading inaccurate information without verifying facts from the Nigeria Air Force and highlighting the importance of upholding principles of developmental journalism, balanced reporting, and fairness in such incidents.
