A Nigerian Air Force helicopter on Wednesday made an emergency landing on a farmland in Makurdi, Benue State, two days after 25 NAF personnel were killed in an aircraft crash in Ondo State.
The incident occurred at Utur Tse-Igboji in Bar Council Ward, along the Welfare Quarters–Mopol 13 Ring Road in the state capital.
The helicopter was said to have developed a technical fault while in operation, forcing its crew to make an emergency landing on the farmland.
An eyewitness, Stephen Ikpam, who spoke on the incident, said residents quickly moved to the scene after noticing the aircraft had landed unexpectedly.
He said the residents assisted the officers on board and confirmed that all the occupants survived the incident.
The crew members were reportedly able to exit the helicopter safely after the emergency landing.
The incident comes shortly after the Air Force lost 25 personnel in a tragic aircraft crash in Ondo State on Monday.
The Ondo crash had raised concerns among Nigerians, particularly about the safety of military aircraft and the risks faced by personnel carrying out operations across the country.
Details of the cause of the Benue incident were not immediately available as of the time of filing this report.
The Nigerian Air Force is expected to conduct an assessment to establish what caused the helicopter to develop the reported technical fault.
Further details on the number of personnel aboard the helicopter and the nature of the mission were also not immediately disclosed.