By Okodili Ndidi, Abuja

The best word to describe the feeling within the security circle about the missing Nigerian Air Force Alpha Jet (NAF475) is confusion.

Two days after the aircraft disappeared from radar while giving air support to ground troops of Operation Lafiya Dole during an operation in Borno State, there are still no clues to the whereabouts of the fighter and pilots.

The Nigerian Air Force has tried to fill in the gap and douse growing tension across the country by assuming that the missing jet fighter may have crashed but it was quick to add the cause of the crash and whereabouts of the two pilots, Flight Lieutenant John Abolarinwa and Flight Lieutenant Ebiakpo Chapele, is still unknown.

Already speculations are rife about what could have happened to the aircraft, videos of downed jet surrounded by armed terrorists have been circulating in the social.

While some people believe the aircraft was gunned down by Boko Haram terrorists with anti- aircraft riffle, others insinuate it may have been hijacked and forced to land in an area controlled by the insurgents.

Read Also: Missing jet might have crashed – NAF

But the Nigerian Air Force has challenged the purveyors of the theories to come up with physical facts to buttress their claims.

NAF spokesperson Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet: “We have seen some videos but there is nothing that has proven that the aircraft in those clips belongs to us, or have you seen a Nigerian Air Force aircraft number or the body of Air Force pilot or have you seen any Air Force uniform, until we get all these details strengthen out, we are not going to go into speculation.

“That video could have been shot somewhere. I have seen four videos so far, one of them has lush vegetation in the background, and I wonder where they have such vegetation in the Northeast. Unless they did something and they are releasing the clips bit by bit, we are waiting.

“Except we have evidence, because like I said, these persons have families and you cannot go their wives, parents or wards, you must bring concrete evidence; there must be something to show.”