Six persons onboard the aircraft are feared dead as military aircraft, King Air 350, crashed on the runway in Abuja on Sunday.
The Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika who announced this tweeted on Sunday that the accident appears fatal.
Sirika said, “A military aircraft King Air 350 has just crashed short of our Abuja runway after reporting engine failure en-route Minna. It appears to be fatal.
”We should remain calm & wait for the outcome of investigation by the military, while we pray for the departed soul/souls if any.”
According to him, it crashed on Abuja runway 15 minutes after its take-off.
Straightnews learned that six people comprised two crew members and four passengers were in the aircraft.
The aircraft, a NAF201 B350, was said to be Minna, Niger State bound when it developed engine problem around 10:39 a.m.
It was said to have crash landed at the final approach path of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport runway 22 around 10:48am and immediately gutted fire.
The aircraft had been used for security and intelligence agencies on reconnaissance missions over Sambisa and other areas where insurgents have posed threat in the country.
The aircraft was said to have belonged to Nigerian Air Force.
