A Nigerian Air Force (NAF) ATR-42 aircraft carrying 32 people, 25 passengers and seven crew members, crashed on Monday morning in a swampy area near the Naval Base in Igbokoda, Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State.
​The ill-fated flight, bearing tail number NGR 931, was on a routine military mission from Benin, Edo State, to Lagos when Air Traffic Control lost communication with the crew at approximately 9:13 a.m. local time.
​The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, disclosed the incident in an official statement via his verified X (formerly Twitter) account. Keyamo revealed that all initial attempts by air traffic controllers to establish contact via radio were unsuccessful before local reports confirmed the wreckage had been located in the coastal terrain of Igbokoda.
​”Air Traffic Controllers informed me of the disappearance of a military aircraft with tail number NGR 931, en route to Lagos from Benin at 0913 hours earlier today,” Keyamo stated. “Preliminary information suggests that there were 25 passengers and 7 crew members on board. The wreckage has been located near the naval base in Igbokoda, and search and rescue operations are ongoing.”
​Keyamo added that he had spoken directly with the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, pledging full logistical support and cooperation from the Ministry of Aviation and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
​Confirming the incident on behalf of the military, NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, stated that military search-and-rescue teams, alongside emergency responders and first responders, were immediately deployed to the site.
​”The aircraft was on a routine mission from Benin to Lagos when the accident occurred,” Ejodame said. “Search and rescue operations, in coordination with relevant authorities and emergency response agencies, are currently ongoing. The NAF is committed to ensuring the success of these efforts.”
​The Chairman of Ilaje Local Government Area, Maurice Oripelaye, confirmed that military equipment and debris were identified at the scene. Local eyewitnesses reported seeing the aircraft struggling to turn around before going down in the marshy terrain, where thick black smoke was seen billowing into the sky.
Local authorities noted that the swampy topography and impact fire presented immediate hurdles for emergency response crews attempting to reach the wreckage.
​As of Monday afternoon, authorities have not officially confirmed the status of casualties among the 32 personnel aboard.
​In a statement issued from the State House in Abuja, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu offered his deep condolences to the families of the personnel on board, the Chief of Air Staff, and the entire armed forces.
​”This is a painful moment for our Armed Forces and for the entire nation,” President Tinubu said. “Our Air Force personnel put their lives on the line every day to secure Nigeria. Their sacrifice will never be forgotten.”
​The President commended the swift response of first responders and the Ondo State Government and announced that he has directed the Nigerian Air Force to immediately set up a Board of Inquiry to conduct a thorough investigation into the cause of the accident to prevent future occurrences.
