Bandits Shooting Down Military Alpha Jets: No Aircraft is Safe in Nigeria – Reno Omokri

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“I urge General Buhari to snap out of his Igboho fixation and acknowledge the reality that no plane flying over Nigeria is safe. The jet that was shot down is an Alpha Jet and costs close to $1 million"

Reno Omokri, former aide to former President Goodlock Jonathan has said the no aircraft flying over Nigeria is safe, owing to the fact that bandits possess the capability to down military alpha jet. 

He said this on Sunday  on a Facebook post on his verified Facebook page

He decried the level of levity at which President Muhammadu Buhari is treating bandits and their activities in Nigeria. He advised the President “to snap out of his Igboho fixation “ and face the real threat to national security.

“The cavalier manner the Buhari regime is taking the downing of an airforce jet by bandits does not augur well for Nigeria’s national security. If bandits now possess surface to air missiles that can bring down a military jet, then how safe is civilian aviation in Nigeria?

“I urge General Buhari to snap out of his Igboho fixation and acknowledge the reality that no plane flying over Nigeria is safe. The jet that was shot down is an Alpha Jet and costs close to $1 million. It flies at 50,000 feet above ground. If bandits can shoot it down, they can shoot any jet in Nigeria down, military or civilian.”

He also raised concern over what would be the ripple of effect of endangered Nigeria’s air space. He predicted possinble exponential hike in costs of flight air tickets in very soon, if nothing is being done to arrest the situation.

“Nigerians are going to see a dramatic rise in costs of tickets for both international and domestic flights, because flights are going to reduce as a result of this incident. And those flights that continue to operate will be forced to take out very high hazard insurance premiums,” he said

According to him these bandits, who are of Fulani tribe, are war ready, and are ready to bring Nigeria to her knees.

“While these bandits may be from a particular ethnic group, they are not necessarily from Nigeria. Many of them are disaffected Fulani from Mali where they have been fighting the government there. They are rugged and war hardened. They can bring Nigeria to her knees if we continue ignoring them.

“And we must note that the plane that was shot down was shot down at night. These guys are trigger happy and according to reports in the media, they also use drugs. What if a commercial plane flies over their hideout at night. Are they not paranoid enough to shoot it down thinking it is a military jet?” he queried

What You Need to Know 

Nigeria Air Force Alpha jet was shot down in Zamfara by bandits on 18 July. The fighter jet was deployed to fight bandits in their hideout. The downing of the aircraft forced the pilot to eject out of jet.

This was contained in press statement released on 19 July by the Air Force Public Relations Director, Air Commodore Edward




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