ALPHA JET FOUND, PILOT NO WHERE TO BE FOUND: NAF Releases Names of Pilots

The Nigerian Airforce ( NAF) has released the names of pilots onboard Alpha Jet aircraft (NAF475) that went missing on Wednesday evening in Borno state.

They are Flight Lieutenant John Abolarinwa and Flight Lieutenant Ebiakpo Chapele.

NAF spokesperson Air Commodore Edward Gabwet who, stated this in a statement Friday, said intelligence report gathered by the NAF indicates that the Jet went off the radar with 2 crew members on board on 31 March 2021 might have crashed.

The statement said search for the aircraft is ongoing, and the NAF is hopeful that the crew members would soon be found.

The statement reads in part: “The cause of the crash as well as the whereabouts of the 2 pilots remain unknown. The pilots are Flight Lieutenant John Abolarinwa and Flight Lieutenant Ebiakpo Chapele.

“Extensive search and rescue efforts are still ongoing by NAF surveillance aircraft as well as NAF Special Forces and Nigerian Army troops on ground.

“At this point, the NAF is not ruling out anything regarding the incident. It however remains hopeful that the crew would soon be found and rescued.”