A Nigerian Air Force Alpha Jet crashed on Saturday afternoon near the village of Karabonde in the Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State. The incident, which occurred around 4:10 pm, was first reported by a Niger‑State based online digital television network, Lapai TV, in a Facebook post that read: “Two Nigerian Air Force Pilots Reportedly Survive Alpha Jet Crash Close to Karabonde, Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State.” The post was accompanied by a 57‑second video showing the wreckage.
An eyewitness, who spoke to PUNCH Online via a 48‑second WhatsApp voice note and a 59‑second video, confirmed that both pilots ejected safely before the aircraft hit the ground. “I think the aircraft took off from the Kainji air force base. We learnt that the air force is mobilising to the crash site,” the eyewitness said.
A villager who identified himself as Lukman Sulaiman also spoke to a PUNCH correspondent by phone. “The incident happened around 4.10 pm. It landed very close town but God so good, the pilots ejected safely,” he said. When asked whether the pilots were injured, he added, “Yes, we heard a noisy landing crash. We were scared. But we eventually started trooping back to the scene.”
Two separate videos obtained by PUNCH Online show the jet engulfed in flames at the crash site, with thick smoke billowing into the sky. The footage matches the 57‑second clip shared by Lapai TV.
As of the time of filing this report, the Nigerian military had not issued an official statement regarding the crash, its cause, or the condition of the pilots. Residents reported that the aircraft descended in a sparsely populated area, which likely prevented further casualties. The Air Force is expected to launch an investigation into the incident.
