The Nigerian Air Force has confirmed that one of its unmanned aerial vehicles lost communication during a routine operational mission on Friday, January 2, 2026, resulting in a crash in Niger State.
The Air Force said the incident occurred in the Kontagora forest within the Operation FASAN YAMMA Sector 3 area while the UAV was deployed for sustained counter-insurgency operations.
According to the service, communication with the platform was lost during the mission, triggering established emergency response procedures.
The Director of Public Relations and Information of the Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, stated that the incident was swiftly contained and did not result in any casualties or disruption to ongoing military operations.
“All attempts to restore communication with the platform were unsuccessful, prompting the crew to activate established emergency return-to-base procedures in line with standard operational protocols,” Ejodame noted.
He explained that the Air Force immediately initiated coordinated response and recovery measures following the incident, working closely with sister Services and relevant authorities to secure the UAV and ensure safety within the operational area.
“The UAV has since been successfully contained, while assessment and recovery activities are progressing as planned,” he said.
Ejodame added that technical teams have secured the platform and commenced preliminary evaluations in accordance with established safety and operational procedures to determine the cause of the loss of communication.
“Relevant technical teams have secured the platform and commenced preliminary evaluations in accordance with established safety and operational procedures.
“The Air Force emphasised that there was no loss of life or injury as a result of the incident.”
The NAF reassured the public that operational activities across all theatres remain uninterrupted, stressing that counter-insurgency operations continue unabated in the interest of national security.
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