The Nigerian authorities on Sunday said they
had detained a Russian cargo plane carrying
military equipment in the north Nigerian city
of Kano, AFP reports.
The country’s defence chiefs announced on
Twitter that the Antonov aircraft was held
pending an investigation into its provenance
and what it was carrying.
Its unscheduled arrival early on Saturday
stoked speculation in Nigeria’s media, given
long-standing claims that Boko Haram has had
outside support in its five-year insurgency.
The came just as the France’s ambassador to
Nigeria also said that Nigerian federal and
airport authorities, being satisfied with the
documents and the genuine character of the
flight, have announced that the plane will be
authorised to pursue its flight to N’Djamena
The issue has become a political issue for
opponents of President Goodluck Jonathan,
who has been accused of not doing enough to
stop the Islamist violence, which has left more
than 13,000 dead since 2009.
Russia’s embassy in Abuja also initially denied
that the plane was theirs, although later
confirmed that it was and that it was carrying
French military equipment.
AFP understands that the 18 Russian crew
members and two French military personnel
on board were not arrested but questioned
about alleged discrepancies in the cargo
manifest and flight plan.
France’s ambassador to Nigeria, Jacques
Champagne de Labriolle, said the commercial
charter, run by Russian firm 224 Flight Unit,
was carrying two French Army Gazelle light
helicopters.
Spare parts and maintenance items were also
being transported on the flight from Bangui, in
the Central African Republic, to Chad’s capital,
N’Djamena.
The hardware was being transferred as France
winds down its military operations in the CAR
and reinforces its anti-Islamist regional
operation, codenamed Barkhane, in Chad.
The Antonov 124, which had Nigerian
diplomatic clearance, diverted to Kano 710
kilometres (441 miles) due west because of
heavy air traffic in the Chadian capital, said
Champagne deI mean, Labriolle.
Checks were made because of the aircraft’s
nationality and the nature of the cargo and the
French Embassy in Abuja supplied information,
he said in an emailed statement.
“The Nigerian federal and airport authorities,
being satisfied with the documents and the
genuine character of the flight, have
announced that the plane will be authorised to
pursue its flight to N’Djamena,” he added.
“Contrary to some press reports, there was
absolutely no weapon and no ammunition on
board the aircraft.”

I dont undastand.

They Dont even know how yo lie sef.