By Benue Info-pedia Editorial Desk 

A Nigerian Air Force (NAF) helicopter made a precautionary landing on farmland in Benue State after completing an operation targeting suspected kidnappers, the Air Force has said.

The incident occurred on Wednesday, October 7, in the Ogbadigbo area of Benue State, near the Enugu–Benue boundary.

The NAF said the helicopter had provided close air support to ground troops during an operation against suspected kidnappers before the pilot decided to make a precautionary landing while returning to base.

In a statement issued by the Director of Public Relations and Information at NAF Headquarters, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, the Air Force said the operation disrupted the activities of the suspected criminals and supported the advance of ground forces.

The statement followed reports circulating on social media that a military helicopter had made an emergency landing on farmland in Benue.

According to the NAF, however, the landing was a precautionary decision taken by the pilot after the combat mission had been completed.

“Following the successful completion of the mission, the pilot, on return to base, exercised his professional discretion to execute a precautionary landing approximately 10 nautical miles from the airfield,” the statement said.

The Air Force said the decision was made in line with established operational and safety procedures.

It also clarified that the helicopter was not stranded and had subsequently returned safely to base.

“The helicopter has returned to base,” the NAF stated.

Resident gives account of landing
Before the NAF clarification, a resident, Stephen Ikpam, said the aircraft landed in the Utur Tse-Igboji community, Bar Council Ward, Makurdi.

Ikpam described the incident as an emergency landing which he attributed to what he believed was a technical fault.

He said residents went to the scene after noticing the aircraft and assisted the officers on board.

“By the grace of God, all lives on board were saved when a Nigerian Air Force helicopter made an emergency landing on our farmland due to a technical fault,” he said.

He added that residents rushed to the scene to support the officers and that everyone on board came out alive.

However, the NAF's official account does not describe the incident as a crash and does not publicly attribute the landing to a technical fault. Benue Info-pedia has therefore not independently established the cause of the landing.

Why the incident matters

The incident is significant because it occurred in connection with an operation against suspected kidnappers in Benue, where security operations and reports of criminal activity remain matters of public concern.

It also comes shortly after the crash of a Nigerian Air Force ATR-42 aircraft in Ondo State, which resulted in the deaths of military personnel and led to President Bola Tinubu declaring three days of national mourning.

For residents around the reported landing location, questions remain about the exact circumstances of the Benue incident, including the precise location, condition of the aircraft when it landed, whether anyone on board sustained injuries and whether the farmland or surrounding property was damaged.

Benue Info-pedia is seeking to independently establish these details through on-the-ground reporting and additional official and eyewitness accounts.

At the time of publication, the NAF has confirmed that the helicopter made a precautionary landing after an operation and subsequently returned to base. The reported technical fault remains an unverified claim by a resident and should not be treated as the established cause of the incident without further confirmation.