A military combat drone has crashed in the Kontagora forest area of Niger State, raising fresh concerns over aerial operations in the North-Central region.
The unmanned combat aircraft went down on Friday under circumstances that are yet to be clarified.
A photograph shows the drone lying wrecked in a forested area. The aircraft was seen badly damaged but did not explode on impact.
As of the time of filing this report, it could not be independently confirmed the location from which the Nigerian military launched the crashed drone.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian military has yet to issue any official statement on the incident.
Similarly, the Niger State Government has not released any response regarding the crash.
The development comes amid earlier reports that some men suspected to be herdsmen were seen handling what they claimed were fragments of a bomb dropped by the United States military on Christmas Day in Jabo community, Sokoto State.
In a video obtained by the online platform, the men—dressed like herdsmen—were heard speaking in Hausa while mocking the United States and downplaying the power of the American military.
They claimed that no U.S. bomb or missile could successfully strike Nigerian soil.
The footage showed the men casually rolling, touching and laughing around the metallic fragment, as if it posed no danger.
In the video, one of the men was heard urging the others to display bravery while praying that the object would not explode.
“Show your strength, my people. I am praying for you that this fragment will not explode by God’s grace,” he said.
Another voice mocked the American military, boasting about Nigerian resilience.
“Army, you are a disgrace. We Nigerians supersede you. Nothing can defeat us except God’s wish,” the voice said.