SWEET NAIJA GIST BLOG

A military aircraft recently released from presidential fleet and handed over to the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has reportedly crashed in Makurdi, Benue State. The Nation gathered from a senior Air Force officer in Makurdi that the Augusta AW101 helicopter crashed after landing. The source, who pleaded not to be named, said it was not a major crash. “What happened was that the helicopter had landed but suddenly moved up and tumbled,” the source added. Our correspondent learnt that only the flight engineer was on board the chopper when it crashed and did not sustain serious injury. The NAF Public Relations Officer in Makurdi, Okon Bassey, who was contacted by our correspondent, feigned ignorance of the incident, claiming he is attending a course in Lagos and promised to send his assistant’s contact details. The assistant, who simply identified himself as Gambo, said nothing happened at the NAF base. ‘It is all rumour, many people have been disturbing us concerning this thing. But I can c...

A male suicide bomber targeting a major motorpark in Maiduguri, Borno State has killed himself and a passerby. The bomber was said to be attempting to enter the Muna Garage Motorpark at about 9.30pm Wednesday night, but was intercepted. “He blew off himself and killed one person nearby,” a Civilian JTF commander, who preferred anonymity, told Daily Sun. The police command’s spokesman, Victor Isuku, a Deputy Superintendent, confirmed the incident in a statement to newsmen. “An explosion occurred at Muna Garage along Gamboru-Ngala Road, Maiduguri. Two persons including the suicide bomber died on the spot,” he said. Isuku said a Mercedes Benz car parked by the roadside near the scene of the blast was damaged. The explosion occurred nearly a week when multiple explosions linked to Boko Haram hit the city, killing six people. In one of the blasts which occurred a few metres from the scene of Wednesday’s explosion, two suicide bombers were killed by the explosives de...