Federal authorities are yet to determine what caused the recent crashes of two separate fighter jets of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), according to the Minister of Defence, Bashir Magashi.

Seven personnel were killed when a fighter jet crashed in Abuja on February 21, 2021 after reporting engine failure, and another one that went missing, with two personnel on board, on March 31 has been presumed to have crashed.

When quizzed for an update on the accidents during a media briefing on Thursday, April 22, Magashi said nothing has been ruled out as possible causes.

The minister said it's hard to determine if the crashes were due to human errors, mechanical errors, or sabotage by 'rebels'.

"The best I can tell you is that the investigation is on and we'll tell the world exactly our findings of the situation about those aircrafts," he said.

The King Air 350 jet that crashed near Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja in February was on its way to Niger State to help in the rescue efforts of school students kidnapped by bandits.

In March, the Alpha-Jet (NAF475) aircraft lost radar contact while providing support for ground troops during a routine counterinsurgency mission against terrorist group, Boko Haram.

The Islamic sect days later made a video showing the wreckage of the jet, claiming to have shot it down.

Even though the Army strongly disputed the claim that the jet was shot down, it admitted that it most likely crashed, and has failed to recover the wreckage since then.

The pilots on the aircraft have been identified as Flight Lieutenant John Abolarinwa and Flight Lieutenant Ebiakpo Chapele.