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• 32 passengers, crew aboard, wreckage found in Ondo coastal community
• NAF launches search, rescue, yet to disclose death toll
• Residents recount panic, report seeing remains at crash site
• 16 military aircraft crashes in decade, 40 lives recorded
• NSIB offers technical support, awaits formal NAF invitation
• Aiyedatiwa deploys emergency agencies, orders crash site secured
• Tinubu condoles with officers’ families, Nigerian Air Force
“The Chief of Air Staff has briefed me, and I have directed the Nigerian Air Force to immediately commence a thorough investigation into the cause of the crash to prevent future occurrences,” Tinubu said in a statement by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
The President also expressed condolences to the families of the 25 passengers and seven crew members aboard the aircraft and prayed for the repose of the souls of the officers.
“This is a painful moment for our Armed Forces and for the entire nation. Our Air Force personnel put their lives on the line every day to secure Nigeria. Their sacrifice will never be forgotten,” he said.
Tinubu prayed “for the repose of the souls of the gallant officers and for Almighty God to grant their families and the Nigerian Air Force the fortitude to bear the unfortunate loss.”
The President confirmed fatalities in the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) ATR-42 aircraft crash in Igbokoda, Ondo State, although the Air Force is yet to disclose the number of people killed.
He said the aircraft was on a routine mission from Benin to Lagos when the accident occurred, while commending the NAF for activating an immediate search and rescue operation.
He also commended first responders and the Ondo State Government for their response at the crash site, assuring the NAF of his administration’s continued support.
Despite the President’s reference to the repose of the souls of the officers and the unfortunate loss, neither the Presidency nor the NAF has disclosed an official death toll.
The NAF had said the aircraft was carrying 25 passengers and seven crew members, bringing the total number of people aboard to 32.
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, said the aircraft, identified as NGR 931, lost radio contact at about 9:13 a.m., before its wreckage was located near the Naval Base in Igbokoda.
The minister said: “While the control and regulation of military aircraft are completely outside the authority of the Ministry of Aviation and the Civil Aviation Authority, I have just spoken to the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, and pledged our total cooperation and assistance in the search and rescue efforts ongoing.”
The Director of Public Relations and Information, NAF, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, who confirmed the crash in a statement, said rescue operation was being conducted in coordination with relevant authorities and emergency response agencies.
“The Nigerian Air Force has activated an immediate Search and Rescue operation following an ATR-42 aircraft accident in the Igbokoda area of Ondo State on 5 October 2026,” Ejodame said.
The ATR-42 is a twin-engine turboprop aircraft used for regional operations.
The NAF operates ATR-42 aircraft for specialised missions, including surveillance and maritime patrol.
Igbokoda residents recount panic, search for survivors after aircraft crash
THE Olu of Igbokoda, Oba Afolabi Odidiomo, expressed concern over the crash of a Nigerian Air Force aircraft in the coastal community, saying he initially feared that a commercial aircraft was involved because of the potential number of casualties.
Odidiomo said he was in court when the incident occurred and directed palace officials to visit the crash site after reports emerged that an aircraft or helicopter had gone down.
He said the aircraft crashed into a river and swampy area during rainfall, leaving the terrain waterlogged.
“Our first thanks to Almighty God is that it did not happen inside the town; otherwise, the casualties would have been so many,” he said.
According to the traditional ruler, the aircraft did not catch fire, although a substantial part of it had gone into the water.
“We cannot describe the exact situation for now, but from my investigation and what we have gathered so far, there was no survivor,” he said.
A resident, Akintan Toluwalase, said residents rushed to the scene after the crash and saw human remains, but were unable to help because the aircraft had gone into the swamp.
He said Navy personnel arrived at the scene around 10:00 a.m.
Another resident, Abel Bamidele, said the crash occurred during the morning rainfall after residents heard a loud sound and learnt that something had fallen from the sky.
He said some local residents who could swim entered the water in an attempt to search for survivors but could not locate anyone.
As of press time, the aircraft remained submerged in the swamp, with no part of its body visible from the surface. Residents were seen paddling canoes around the area, while clothes, shoes and other personal effects believed to belong to victims floated on the water.
A resident identified as Kunle said the sound of the crash caused panic in the community.
“When we heard the sound, we ran out. People were running in different directions. The Navy brought boats and went towards the scene. We are praying that lives will be saved,” he said.
Another resident, who identified herself simply as Funmilayo, said the incident had left the community frightened and confused.
“We have never witnessed anything like this before. Everyone is confused,” she said.
Meanwhile, the spokesperson, Ondo State Police Command, Abayomi Jimoh, confirmed the crash in a statement, stressing that details surrounding the incident are still emerging.
“The command urges members of the public, particularly residents of Igbokoda and adjoining communities, to remain calm and refrain from circulating unverified information. The public will be duly informed as soon as further credible information becomes available,” Abayomi stated.
Concerns as military records 16 aircraft crashes in 10 years
CONCERNS over the safety of Nigeria’s military aviation fleet have resurfaced following the crash of a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) ATR-42 aircraft in Ondo State yesterday, bringing to 16 the number of military aircraft crashes recorded in the country since 2016.
The crashes have claimed at least 40 lives according to a review of military aviation accidents over the period.
The latest incident occurred at Igbokoda, Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, after the aircraft, with registration number NGR 931, disappeared from radar at about 9:13 a.m. while travelling from Benin to Lagos.
The latest crash has added to a decade-long record in which military aircraft have been lost in combat operations, training flights, routine missions and other operations.
The incidents reviewed by The Guardian focused on actual aircraft crashes or aircraft losses and excluded minor mishaps and emergency landings where the aircraft was not considered to have crashed.
The review shows that the military recorded no crash in 2016, before an NAF Agusta 109 Light Utility Helicopter went down in the Borno River on July 6, 2017.
The helicopter had developed a technical fault while on a liaison mission, forcing the pilot to bring it down in the river. No life was lost.
The following year, two NAF F-7NI fighter aircraft collided around Katampe Hills, Abuja, during rehearsals for Nigeria’s 58th Independence anniversary celebrations.
One person died in the September 2018 crash.
The military recorded three crashes in 2019. An Mi-35M helicopter crashed near Damasak, Borno State, on January 2 while supporting ground operations, killing its five-man crew. On August 17, an RV-6A Air Beetle crashed near Kaduna, killing its pilot.
A training helicopter subsequently crashed at the NAF Base in Enugu on November 14 after returning from a routine training exercise. No life was lost.
Four aircraft were lost in separate incidents in 2021.
On February 22, 2021 a Beechcraft King Air 350i crashed shortly after take-off from Abuja while heading towards Minna, Niger State.
The aircraft was carrying seven military personnel, all of whom died.
On March 31, 2021 an Alpha Jet conducting operations in Borno State disappeared from radar.
The aircraft was later confirmed to have crashed, while its two pilots remained unaccounted for after the wreckage was located in Sambisa Forest.
he most prominent crash of 2021 occurred on May 21, when a NAF King Air 350 crashed near Kaduna International Airport, killing all 11 people aboard, including the then Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru.
The Accident Investigation Bureau and the NAF subsequently conducted a joint investigation into the accident, with the interim report submitted to the Chief of Air Staff in September 2021.
On July 18, another NAF Alpha Jet was lost after it was shot down in Zamfara State. Its pilot survived after ejecting from the aircraft.
Thus, 2021 accounted for 20 deaths or presumed deaths, making it the deadliest year in the period under review.
The following year, a NAF Super Mushshak trainer aircraft crashed in Kaduna on April 19, killing its two pilots.
Military aviation losses continued in 2023, when an FT-7NI trainer aircraft crashed in Makurdi, Benue State, in July. The pilots survived.
A month later, an NAF MI-171 helicopter carrying out a casualty evacuation mission crashed at Chukuba village in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State. Eleven people died, making it one of the deadliest military aviation accidents in the period.
The third qualifying crash that year involved an NAF MI-35P helicopter, which was lost shortly after take-off from the NAF Base in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, in December. The five crew members survived.
The review records an aircraft loss involving an NAF Alpha Jet in 2025, during a post-inspection functional check flight. However, the pilots ejected safely.
In January 2026, before yesterday’s Ondo accident, the military also lost a CH-4B unmanned aircraft during a surveillance operation in Niger State but no human life was lost.
The ATR-42 crash became the 16th military aircraft crash or aircraft loss in the review period.
The human cost of the crashes has been substantial. The recorded fatalities before the Ondo incident comprise one death in 2018, six in 2019, 20 deaths in 2021, two in 2022 and 11 in 2023.
That produces 38 confirmed deaths, while the two Alpha Jet pilots who disappeared in March 2021 bring the figure to 40 when presumed deaths are included.
The Ondo crash is not included in that figure.
The latest accident has renewed questions about the safety of military aviation operations, particularly the maintenance, airworthiness and operational deployment of aircraft used for combat, surveillance, transport and other missions.
The concern is heightened by the recurrence of crashes involving different categories of aircraft rather than a single platform, with the decade’s losses spanning fighter jets, attack helicopters, transport aircraft, training aircraft and unmanned systems.
Reacting to the latest crash, the Executive Director of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, told The Guardian that the incident highlighted the need to scrutinise the safety and airworthiness of military aircraft.
He said: “It is really important to look at the safety of the pilots, the passengers and the people, as well as the authenticity or correctness of the aircraft itself. Sometimes people are concerned that some of these aircraft are outdated.”
He called for more rigorous maintenance and pre-flight checks, saying the government must ensure that aircraft deployed for operations were properly maintained and certified as fit to fly.
“It all comes down to the issue of effective governance and safety in Nigeria. The government must take everything necessary to save lives and protect property and facilities by ensuring that due diligence is done for any aircraft that will fly in Nigeria,” he said
Bureau: NAF must invite NSIB before it can investigate
The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has said the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) must formally invite it before it can participate in the investigation of yesterday’s ATR-42 aircraft crash in Igbokoda, Ondo State.
The Bureau, however, offered to provide investigators and technical support, including assistance with the recovery and analysis of flight data and cockpit voice recordings from the aircraft.
The ATR-42, which the NAF said was on a routine mission from Benin to Lagos, crashed in the Igbokoda area.
The NAF said search and rescue operations were immediately activated.
In a statement by its Director-General/Chief Executive Officer, Captain Alex Badeh Jr., the NSIB said the investigation of the accident rests with the military because the aircraft involved was a military aircraft.
The Bureau said: “This occurrence involves a military aircraft. In line with the NSIB Establishment Act, 2022, and with established international practice, the investigation of military aviation accidents rests with the military authority.
“The NSIB does not investigate military accidents unless formally invited to do so by that authority.”
The Bureau said it was ready to assist the Air Force if requested, including through the deployment of investigators and the use of its Flight Safety Laboratory for flight data and cockpit voice recorder recovery and readout.
The NSIB also expressed condolences to the Nigerian Air Force and the families and colleagues of those involved in the incident, while commending first responders and rescue teams at the crash site.
The Bureau urged the public to rely on official updates from the NAF concerning the rescue operation and any subsequent investigation.
The circumstances that led to the crash also remain unclear, with authorities yet to disclose its cause.
Aiyedatiwa mobilises emergency agencies after military aircraft crash in Ondo
ONDO State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has mobilised emergency response agencies following the crash of a Nigerian Air Force aircraft in Igbokoda, headquarters of Ilaje Local Government Area of the state, yesterday.
Aiyedatiwa expressed sadness over the incident and sympathised with the Chief of Air Staff, the Nigerian Air Force and the families of personnel and passengers on board the aircraft.
In a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Ebenezer Adeniyan, the governor said he had been in contact with the leadership of the Nigerian Air Force, Ilaje Local Government Chairman, Maurice Oripelaye, and security agencies at the scene.
He directed the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Ministry of Health and relevant security agencies to immediately mobilise and provide logistical and human support to the Nigerian Air Force and other emergency responders involved in the search and rescue operation.
Aiyedatiwa also ordered security agencies to cordon off and secure the crash site to facilitate smooth and unhindered rescue operations.
The governor urged residents of Igbokoda and neighbouring communities to remain calm and cooperate with emergency responders.
The statement said the state government would continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as more information became available from the Nigerian Air Force.
Aiyedatiwa also prayed for the safety of the officers involved and the success of the rescue operation.
SOURCE: THEGUARDIAN
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