Kano - Nigeria detained a Russian cargo plane and itsFrench-speaking crew on Saturday afterit madean unauthorised landing in the northern cityof Kano with military hardware bound for neighbouring Chad, a securitysourcesaid.
An air force spokespersonconfirmed theplane had been detained but gave no further details.
The plane had been travelling from Bangui, the capital ofCentral African Republic, to the Chadian capital N'Djamena but was forced tomake an emergencylanding in Kano because N'Djamena airport was closed, the securitysourcesaid.
He said afterthe five crew members were detained, inspectors foundtwo helicopters, a bullet-proof jeep and boxes ofwhat were suspectedto be military hardware.
The Russian embassyin Abuja did not immediately respond to a requestfor comment.
Itwas not clear what the shipment was for. Chadian fightershave been involved in Central African Republic's conflictsince Muslim Seleka rebels seizedthe southern capital Bangui in 2013.
Mysterious armsshipmentshave caused controversyin Nigeria before.A Nigerian court sentencedan alleged member ofIran's Revolutionary Guard and a Nigerian accomplice to five years in prison in May last year over an illegal shipment of mortarsand rockets seizedin the main port of Lagos in 2010.
Reuters
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