Follow Us on Google
From Noah Ebije, Kaduna
The National Director of Media and Publicity of the Rescue Movement for New Nigeria, also known as Rescue the Vulnerable Initiative, Rev Emmanuel Olorunmagba, has described the detention of a Nigerian Air Force fighter jet and its crew in Burkina Faso as a national embarrassment that raises serious questions about the federal government’s handling of insecurity.
Rev Olorunmagba added that the incident exposed what he termed troubling contradictions in Nigeria’s security operations.
In a statement made available to Daily Sun, he said the continued detention of Nigerian Air Force personnel and the impounding of the jet, despite reported diplomatic efforts and earlier ultimatums, has damaged the country’s international image.
He also faulted conflicting explanations surrounding the mission of the aircraft, noting that the Nigerian Air Force’s claim that the jet was en route to Portugal was later contradicted by Portuguese authorities.
Other News
The Kaduna-based pastor further questioned reports suggesting that the aircraft may have been deployed to the Republic of Benin to counter an alleged coup attempt, asking, “why the jet would proceed to Burkina Faso instead of returning directly to Nigeria if its mission in Benin had been completed”.
He contrasted what he described as the swift military response in Benin with what he said was a lack of similar urgency in addressing domestic security challenges in Nigeria.
He called on the federal government and the Nigerian Air Force to give Nigerians a clear and comprehensive account of the incident, warning that continued silence or contradictory statements could further erode public confidence.
As of press time, there was no fresh response from the Nigerian Air Force or the Ministry of Defence on the matter.
