President Bola Tinubu has ordered an immediate investigation into the crash of a Nigerian Air Force aircraft in Igbokoda, Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, with 32 people reportedly on board.
The NAF ATR-42 aircraft, with tail number NGR 931, crashed on Monday while on a routine flight from Benin, Edo State, to Lagos.
The President’s directive was contained in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, titled, “President Tinubu mourns NAF personnel in Ondo jet crash, orders thorough investigation of the mishap.”
According to the statement, the aircraft was carrying 25 passengers and seven crew members when it crashed near a naval base in the Igbokoda area.
Tinubu said the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, had briefed him on the incident and directed the Air Force to immediately establish the cause of the crash.
“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,” the President said.
He commiserated with the families of those on board, the Chief of the Air Staff and personnel of the Nigerian Air Force.
Tinubu also commended the NAF for activating a search and rescue operation and praised first responders and the Ondo State Government for their response at the crash site.
“I pray 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,” he said.
Meanwhile, Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, said no survivor had been found at the crash site as of Monday evening.
Aiyedatiwa disclosed this in an interview with Channels Television, saying local residents, security personnel and emergency responders had searched the area without finding anyone alive.
The governor said he was informed of the incident around 10:30am after the chairman of the affected local government contacted him.
According to him, residents across the river from the Nigerian Navy base heard a loud sound and subsequently saw the aircraft plunge into a swampy area.
He said naval personnel initially waited to determine whether there was a fire or explosion before moving towards the crash site.
“When they noticed that it’s just an accident, they didn’t see any sign of fire. So they moved in, trying to see if they could rescue the people,” Aiyedatiwa said.
He added that officials of the state emergency management agency, local residents and personnel of the Amotekun Corps joined the search.
“But from the information we got, no single life was saved up to this moment. They could not see any living soul that was in that aircraft,” the governor said.
Search teams recovered parts of the aircraft, including sections of its wings, identification cards and military uniforms, which helped confirm that the crashed plane belonged to the Nigerian Air Force.
Aiyedatiwa described the incident as particularly painful because it occurred in his home state and local government, while expressing sympathy to the military personnel involved.
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, had earlier announced that air traffic controllers lost contact with the military aircraft before it crashed near the naval base.
The Nigerian Air Force subsequently confirmed the crash and said search and rescue operations were ongoing.
