A Nigerian Air Force drone crashed in Kontagora, Niger State, on January 2, 2026, following a technical link failure.
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has confirmed that one of its Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) crashed in the forest area of Kontagora, Niger State, on Friday, January 2, 2026.
The incident occurred during a routine operational mission under Operation FASAN YAMMA Sector 3. According to official statements, the platform experienced a "loss of link" while deployed for sustained counter-insurgency operations in the North-West zone.
Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, the Director of Public Relations and Information for the NAF, stated that all attempts to restore communication with the drone were unsuccessful.
Following standard operating procedures, the crew initiated emergency return-to-base actions before the platform ultimately went down.
The NAF immediately activated a coordinated response team, involving sister security services, to secure the site. As of Saturday morning, the wreckage has been successfully contained and recovered.
The Air Force has emphasized that the crash resulted in no loss of life or injury, as the incident took place in an unpopulated forest area.
Furthermore, the military has assured the public that this technical setback will not disrupt ongoing theatre operations.
- Cause: Preliminary evaluations suggest a loss of communication/link.
- Location: Kontagora forest, Niger State.
- Status: Wreckage recovered; technical teams are conducting a full assessment.
The NAF-114 is part of Nigeria's growing fleet of Chinese-made CH-4 armed drones, which have been instrumental in tracking and neutralizing bandit groups and insurgents across the Sahel and Northern Nigeria.
Technical teams have already commenced a thorough investigation to prevent a recurrence.
0 Comments