Nigerian Pilot whose Fighter Jet was Shot Down by Bandits Survives

Abayomi Dairo, a pilot who survived after his fighter jet was shot down by bandits in Zamfara. Confirming the crash in a statement on Monday, NAF Spokesman, Edward Gabkwet said the fighter jet was returning from a successful air interdiction mission between the boundaries of Zamfara and Kaduna states when it came under heavy fire from bandits and crashed in Zamfara.

According to him, Dairo, the pilot of the jet, successfully ejected.

Luckily, the gallant pilot of the aircraft, Flight Lieutenant Abayomi Dairo, successfully ejected from the aircraft. Using his survival instincts, the pilot, who came under intense ground fire from the bandits, was able to evade them and sought refuge in nearby settlements awaiting sunset,” the statement reads.

“Using the cover of darkness and his phone set for navigation, Flight Lieutenant Dairo was able to elude several bandits’ strongholds and maneuvered his way to a Nigerian Army Unit, where he was finally rescued.