FACT-CHECK: Did Bandits Shoot Down NAF Helicopter With AK-47 in Niger State? 

FACT-CHECK: Did Bandits Shoot Down NAF Helicopter With AK-47 in Niger State? 

CLAIM: A 2-minute and 17-second video of a crashed NAF aircraft emerged online where bandits in the footage claimed that they were responsible for gunning down the plane. 

FULL-TEXT: The claim which has enjoyed a massive share on Facebook and WhatsApp was accompanied by a text that reads, “This is what happened at Niger State where bandits brought down the NAF chopper that went to evacuate soldiers ambushed by bandits/terrorists in Wushishi, Niger State. Imagine the bandits/terrorists boasting that their leader Dogo Gyade is waxing stronger.”

Platforms such as Punch, Vanguard, Nairaland among other prominent media outlets have reported that the armed men identified as bandits had shot down a jet belonging to Nigeria Air Force on Monday in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State. Even some international media reported that “Nigeria Miliary Helicopter Crashed After Being Fired At.”

According to the report, the terrorists had, on the same day, attacked and killed 13 soldiers along the Zungeru-Tegina road in the Madaka Ward of the Rafi Local Government Area of the state.

NAF’s spokesman, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet said  in a statement that the aircraft left Zungeru Primary School en route to Kaduna but was later discovered to have crashed in a village in Shiroro local government area of Niger State.

VERIFICATION: On inquiry, inside sources at the Nigerian Airforce told PRNigeria fact-checking desk that the Aircraft an MI-171 Fighter Helicopter was flying at an altituted of abour five thousand feet at the time of the crash. 

Aligning this finding with the claim by the Bandits that they shot down the aicraft using their AK-47 rifles, PRNgeria investigated and found out that an AK-47 is a type of assault rifle designed for ground combat and is not typically used to engage aircraft. While it is theoretically possible for bullets fired from an AK-47 to reach an airplane flying at an altitude of 500 feet or higher, there are significant practical limitations and challenges to consider as follows:

Effective Range: The effective range of an AK-47 is generally around 300 to 400 meters (approximately 328 to 437 yards). At altitudes of 500 feet or more, an airplane would be significantly farther away than this effective range. The bullets would likely lose accuracy, velocity, and energy over such distances, making it extremely difficult to hit an aircraft that is upto 5,000 feet above.

Bullet Trajectory: Bullets fired from ground-based firearms follow a parabolic trajectory due to gravity. At high altitudes, an aircraft’s relatively high speed and the curvature of the Earth would further complicate accurate aiming.

Aircraft Speed and Maneuverability: Aircraft move at high speeds and can change altitude and direction rapidly. This makes it even more challenging to accurately target and hit an aircraft using a ground-based weapon like the AK-47.

Armor and Vulnerability: Meanwhile, more findings by PRNigeria fact checking reveals that the crashed MI-171 Fighter Helicopter was armored plated – designed with various levels of armor and protection to withstand gunfire to some extent. A typical AK-47 round might not have the necessary penetration power to significantly damage an armored aircraft. A close examination of images from the crashed aircraft did not show bullet penetrations either. 

Further findings by PRNigeria reveals that the level of armor and protection on a MI-171 helicopter can vary based on its configuration and the specific requirements of the mission. Some versions of the MI-171 may feature reinforced cockpit armor to protect the crew from small arms fire and shrapnel. Additionally, some military variants of the MI-171 might have provisions for attaching external armor panels to provide additional protection.

Lack of Targeting Systems: The AK-47 lacks the specialized targeting systems required to engage fast-moving aerial targets accurately. Aiming at an aircraft at a high altitude using a rifle’s iron sights would be incredibly difficult.

For these reasons, using an AK-47 or a similar rifle to shoot down an armored aircraft at an altitude of 5,000 feet or higher as claimed by the bandits is not a practically effective approach. 

CONCLUSION: Based on the facts gathered by PRNigeria, the effective range of an AK-47 rifle is generally around 300 to 400 meters (approximately 328 to 437 yards) therefore flying at an altitude of 5,000 feet and also being armored plated the crashed NAF MI-171 Fighter Helicopter was significantly farther away from an effective bandits’ AK-47 bullet range in addition to being immune to its penetration power. 

PRNigeria therefore concludes that the claim that bandits were responsible for shooting down the crashed NAF aircraft is a MISLEADING PROPAGANDA.  

By PRNigeria