A Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Helicopter was lost in combat while providing close air support to troops of 145 Battalion at Damasak in Northern Borno State.

“The mission was part of the ongoing counterinsurgency operations in the North East.

The incident occurred about 7:45 pm today, 2 January 2019. Details of the cause of the crash are still scanty,” NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, said last night in a statement, a copy of which was obtained by News Express.

The statement came barely hours after NAF announced that the Air Task Force (ATF) of Operation LAFIYA DOLE had destroyed a building being used as meeting venue by Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters near Baga in Northern Borno.

It said the operation was carried out on Tuesday, January 1, 2019.

A statement also issued by Daramola explained that the attack was conducted after series of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions confirmed that the building was being used as an assembly point by the terrorists.

“Consequently, the ATF dispatched a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Alpha Jet aircraft to attack the building.

“A direct hit was recorded on the target leading to significant damage to the structure and neutralisation of the occupants,” he said.