The Nigerian Air Force says its helicopter conveying personnel on medical outreach programme at Gwoza on Wednesday came under attack by members of the Boko Haram Terrorist (BHT) group.
A statement issued by the Force’s Director of Public Relations and Information, Group Captain Ayodele Famuyiwa, said the Mi-17 helicopter was shot at severally by the insurgents.
However, there was no casualty recorded except for an airman who sustained bullet wound.
The statement revealed that the helicopter had departed from Maiduguri en-route the venue of the 2-day medical outreach programme in Gwoza when it came under attack by the insurgents.
Nevertheless, the pilot was able to fly the helicopter safely to and from its destination, in order to enable the outreach programme continue uninterrupted.
“Following the attack, the NAF immediately scrambled a fighter aircraft and helicopter gunship to the location between Bama and Gwoza to neutralise the threat.
“Intelligent report by ground troops confirmed scores of BHTs were killed, signifying that the air attack on the threat location was successful.
“Recall that the NAF has been conducting medical outreach in the northeast as part of its humanitarian support to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
“The latest of this effort was in Gwoza. This follows a similar effort undertaken recently for IDPs in Lagos area,” the statement read.
