The Nigerian Air Force has reported that one of its unmanned aerial vehicles crashed in Niger State on Friday, January 2, 2026, after losing contact with its operators during a routine counter-insurgency mission.
The incident took place in the Kontagora forest area within the Operation FASAN YAMMA Sector 3 zone, where the drone was conducting surveillance as part of ongoing security operations.
Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, Director of Public Relations and Information for the Nigerian Air Force, confirmed that all communication with the aircraft was lost mid-flight. Ground crew attempted unsuccessfully to re-establish contact before activating emergency return-to-base protocols according to standard procedures.
“The crew immediately implemented established emergency response measures when communication was lost. Despite multiple attempts to restore contact with the platform, these efforts proved unsuccessful,” Ejodame explained.
Following the incident, the Air Force launched coordinated recovery operations in collaboration with other security services and local authorities to locate and secure the downed aircraft. The drone has been recovered and the crash site secured.
Ejodame confirmed no casualties or injuries occurred as a result of the crash, and ongoing military operations in the region remain unaffected.
Technical specialists have begun examining the recovered drone to identify what caused the communication breakdown, following established safety assessment procedures.
The Air Force emphasized that counter-insurgency operations continue without disruption across all operational zones, maintaining national security efforts remain on track.
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