18th November, 2020
The Nigerian Air Force has dismissed reports that Boko Haram insurgents shot down a United Nations, UN, helicopter in Borno State.
The helicopter incident was reported to have occurred in Banki, a border community with Cameroon, with a humanitarian worker suggesting the helicopter was shot down.
However, NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, confirmed that the report was fake news.
A message from Daramola stated that: ”No helicopter was shot down. No helicopter crashed in Borno State today. A UN helicopter indeed undertook a mission to Banki and has since returned to Maiduguri”
Presidential aide, Bashir Ahmad, also reacted to the report on Twitter.
“Daily Trust, one of the national newspapers broke a news earlier that Boko Haram shot down a helicopter in Borno, and the story turned out to be yet another FAKE NEWS. Our media outlets have a great role to play in defeating terrorisms in any country, Nigeria included,” Bashir Ahmad tweeted.