Nigeria Air Force plane crash: All 25 onboard killed; President Tinubu declares three-day mourning

A Nigerian Air Force ATR42 aircraft crashed in Ondo state killing 25 people on board including civilians No survivors were found after searchandrescue teams scoured the crash site on TuesdayThe Nigerian Air Force had earlier reported that 32 people mdash 25 passengers and seven crew mdash were on board the aircraft with President Bola Tinubu stating on Monday evening that all those on the aircraft had been killed The air force however on Tuesday said that the aircraft had 25 people on board after accounting for all personshttpstcooWq6j8ASzXmdash Nigerian Air Force NigAirForce October 6 2026In one of Nigerias worst air disasters in recent years the ATR42 twinengine turboprop went down in a swampy area near a naval base in Ondo state on MondayNAF 931 had 25 persons on board comprising five crew members and 20 passengers Air Force spokesman Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame said in a statement adding No survivors have been foundThe Nigerian Air Force said the aircraft was on a routine mission from Benin to Lagos when the accident occurred Searchandrescue procedures were immediately activated with response efforts conducted in coordination with relevant authorities to locate and account for all persons on boardPRESS RELEASE NAF MOURNS 25 LIVES LOST IN NAF 931 AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT The Chief of the Air Staff CAS Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke has expressed profound condolences to the families of the personnel and passengers who lost their lives following the accident involving Nigerian Air Force NAF ATR 42 aircraft NAF 931 in the Igbokoda area of Ondo State The CAS described the incident as a deeply painful moment for the Nigerian Air Force and the nation expressing heartfelt sympathies to the families loved ones and colleagues of those who lost their lives He assured the bereaved families of the Servicersquos full support during this difficult period NAF 931 had 25 persons on board comprising five crew members and 20 passengers The aircraft was on a routine mission from Benin to Lagos when the accident occurred Searchandrescue procedures were immediately activated with response efforts conducted in coordination with relevant authorities to locate and account for all persons on board No survivors have been found The crew members were CREW 1Squadron Leader MI Aburime Flight Captain 2Squadron Leader AP ManUgwueje Copilot 3Flight Lieutenant IS Bako Copilot 4Warrant Officer Abubakar A Aircraft Technician 5Corporal Uguru HC Aircraft Technician PASSENGERS 6Flight Lieutenant TL Lazarus 7Flight Lieutenant M Akinloye 8Flying Officer IM Adeshina 9Master Warrant Officer Onwuka F 10Master Warrant Officer Matini BA 11Warrant Officer Nuhu FS 12Flight Sergeant James RB 13Flight Sergeant Mohammed AI 14Sergeant Ani AE 15Sergeant Izibenikien SI 16Sergeant Alafuka C 17Sergeant Mbadugha AN 18Lance Corporal Ugwuba FC 19Lance Corporal Eledan GE 20Mrs Ezeh Nneka 21Godstmine Tarabina httpstcoXhwXAihuIB Micheal 23Sunday Micheal 24Ukeme David 25Gideon Omotola The CAS has directed a comprehensive investigation to establish the circumstances surrounding the accident The Nigerian Air Force will continue to provide timely and verified updates as the investigation progresses and urges the public to refrain from speculation and the circulation of unverified information while respecting the privacy and dignity of the affected families A condolence register has also been opened at Headquarters Nigerian Air Force Abuja for senior government officials members of the diplomatic corps heads of security agencies and other wellwishers who may wish to pay their respects and convey messages of sympathy to the families of the deceased and the Nigerian Air Force Ehimen Ejodame Air Commodore Director of Public Relations and Information Headquarters Nigerian Air Force 6 October 2026mdash Nigerian Air Force NigAirForce October 6 2026The five crew members were Squadron Leader MI Aburime flight captain Squadron Leader AP ManUgwueje copilot Flight Lieutenant IS Bako copilot Warrant Officer Abubakar A aircraft technician and Corporal Uguru HC aircraft technicianNigerian Air Force identifies passengers killed in Ondo plane crashThe passengers included Flight Lieutenant TL Lazarus Flight Lieutenant M Akinloye Flying Officer IM Adeshina Master Warrant Officer Onwuka F Master Warrant Officer Matini BA Warrant Officer Nuhu FS Flight Sergeant James RB Flight Sergeant Mohammed AI Sergeant Ani AE Sergeant Izibenikien SI Sergeant Alafuka C Sergeant Mbadugha AN Lance Corporal Ugwuba FC and Lance Corporal Eledan GEThe other passengers were Mrs Ezeh Nneka Godstmine Tarabina Joy Micheal Sunday Micheal Ukeme David and Gideon OmotolaCivilian family members were travelling aboard the plane The list released by the Nigerian Air Force showed six names without a military rank prefixMajor General Samaila Uba spokesman for Defence Headquarters said in a separate statement Tuesday that there were some members of families on boardThe plane crashed near the town of Igbokoda located in Ilaje an oilproducing region in southern NigeriaThe Chief of the Air Staff Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke expressed condolences to the families of the personnel and passengers who lost their lives and assured the bereaved families of the Services full supportProbe ordered into Nigerian Air Force plane crashThis is a painful moment for our armed forces and for the entire nation Tinubu said Monday declaring three days of public mourningTinubu and the military chiefs have ordered a probe into the accident The Chief of the Air Staff has also directed a comprehensive investigation to establish the circumstances surrounding the accidentThe aircraft was on a routine mission from Benin city to Lagos when the accident occurred Ejodame saidA video circulating on social media showed a small crowd gathered near a river while rescuers searched the area by boatThe Nigerian Air Force urged the public to refrain from speculation and the circulation of unverified information while respecting the privacy and dignity of the affected families A condolence register has also been opened at Headquarters Nigerian Air Force Abuja for senior government officials members of the diplomatic corps heads of security agencies and other wellwishersIn May 2021 Nigerias topranking army commander Lieutenant General Ibrahim Attahiru and 10 other officers were killed when their plane crashed in bad weather while trying to land at northern Kaduna state airportPrevious Nigerian military aircraft crashesSeven people died when a military plane crashed into a house in northern Nigeria killing all those on board in August 2015Earlier that same month a helicopter crashed into a lagoon in Lagos killing six including the American pilotWith AFP inputs