No evidence terrorists shot down NAF Helicopters in Niger State

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David Arome

Claim: An X user (@Comrdebarde) shared a video alleging that terrorists shot down the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) helicopter using AK-47 rifles at Zungeru, Niger State. 

Verdict: Insufficient Evidence. We found no evidence that terrorists shot down an NAF aircraft. 

Full Text  

An X user, @Comrdebarde, on June 12, 2026, alleged in a video (Archived here) that terrorists had gunned down a NAF helicopter in Zungeru, Niger State, with AK-49 rifles. 

“… Terrorists take video and send out the plane and soldiers they killed in Zungeru/Niger State. They said it was an AK-47 they used and shot the plane,” part of the X post caption reads. 

Because the claimant did not share the date of the event, an X user, @_VatEra, asked in the comments if the event in the video was recent. 

“Is this recent?” @_VatEra questioned. The claimant @Comrdebarde responded saying yes.

The video showed a destroyed helicopter and dead bodies. The video also captured armed men moving around the shattered helicopter and dead bodies, chanting “Allawuhakubir” in Arabic, translated in English to mean “God is the greatest.”

As of June 15, 2026, the video had gained 5756 viewers, 59 likes, 11 reports, and 39 bookmarks. 

The claim attracted reaction from users.

One user, @Omarparouq, wrote, “Are we continuing like this?”

Another user, @ OfficialKAMALA, commented, “This is the army they want us to join, abi.”

Given the nature of the claim and its impact on public perception of the country’s security infrastructure and efforts, DUBAWA decided to investigate it.  

Verification

We verified the video using the InVID tool. We extracted keyframes from the video and subjected them to reverse image searches.

The searches led to a PR Nigeria report published on Aug. 20, 2023, with the headline “NAF Helicopter Crash, Terrorists’ Propaganda and Military Sacrifice.” 

The report included footage of a crash used as the feature photo. 

The Cable and Punch Newspapers also captured the NAF helicopter crash in their report on Aug. 14, 2023.

PR Nigeria’s report detailed that on Aug. 14, 2023, an NAF MI-171E helicopter crashed at Chukuba Village in Shiroro LGA, Niger State.

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) spokesperson, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, also confirmed the 2023 incident in an official statement.

While some residents told AP News that bandits may have shot down the helicopter, the Nigerian Air Force stated that the cause of the crash was under investigation. 

The above reports and official statement indicate that the 2023 crash occurred near Chukuba Village in Shiroro LGA, not in Zungeru as claimed.

In a separate interview with Arise News, retired Air Vice Marshal Gbolahan Adekunle dismissed claims that an AK-47 rifle could have brought down the MI-171E helicopter, describing the assertion as far-fetched.

We found another report of a similar NAF aircraft incident in Niger State involving an Alpha Jet. This crash occurred near Karabonde in Borgu LGA on Dec. 6, 2025, after an in-flight emergency. Fortunately, both pilots ejected safely.

Likewise, the cable report quoted Ehimen Ejodame, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) director of public relations and information, who said the incident occurred during a post-inspection test flight emergency. 

NAF also reacted to the crash in a statement released on its website on Dec. 7, 2025. 

We conducted keyword searches to determine whether there was a report of a recent incident, but found none. 

Conclusion 

Available evidence shows two confirmed crashes of NAF aircraft between 2023 and 2025, but nothing in 2026. 

This fellowship is implemented by the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) with support from the European Union.