2014 – THREE NEW Beechcraft King Air 350i aircraft were delivered to the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) at the beginning of August. They are to be operated by the NAF’s 209 Executive Airlift Group (EAG), which is based at Abuja-Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport.
Soon after arrival at Abuja, they commenced crew training flights. The order for these aircraft had not previously been reported and their mission is unconfirmed. Most reports from the country suggest they are to be used as standard transport aircraft. However, there has been speculation from some quarters that they might be converted for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) operations, although there is nothing to back-up this suggestion.
On 21 February 2021, a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Beechcraft King Air 350i crashed near Abuja/Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (Nigeria), unfortunately killing all seven people on board.
The King Air, operated by the 209th Executive Airlift Group (209th EAG) at Abuja/Nnamdi Azikiwe, crashed while returning to the airport after reporting an engine failure whilst en route to Minna, located 175 km northwest of Abuja.
The crashed aircraft is painted in a unique VIP colour scheme and should therefore be identified as NAF201. An investigation has started to the cause of the fatal accident.
According to the Scramble Magazine database for Nigeria, the NAF operates four Beechcraft 350i King Airs with the 209th EAG. The serials of these aircraft are:
Beechcraft 350i King Air: NAF201 (c/n FL-585), NAF202 (c/n FL-890), NAF203 (c/n FL-891) and NAF204 (c/n FL-902)
NAF201 is reported as an ISTAR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, and Reconnaissance) variant and is painted in a VIP colour scheme.
On 21 May 2021 – A Nigerian Air Force Beechcraft King Air 350i Aircraft with the country’s Chief of Army Staff and other military personnel on board Friday, May 21, evening crashed in Kaduna Northwest Nigeria.
Reports say 12 personnel including Nigerian Chief of Army Staff Attahiru Ibrahim were on board.
The Air Force spokesperson in a tweet on Friday evening confirmed that an air crash involving the service aircraft occurred this evening near the Kaduna International Airport.
“The immediate cause of the crash is still being ascertained,” Edward Gabkwet, NAF Director of Public Relations and Information wrote.
Nigerian Air Force operates about four Beechcraft King Air 350i aircrafts used for transport, intelligence, reconnaissance, and surveillance missions across the country.
Centre for Nigeria Progress 