A Nigerian Air Force aircraft has crashed in Igbokoda, Ondo State. It came down in a swampy area of Ilaje Local Government Area. The aircraft is an ATR-42 with tail number NGR 931. Thirty-two people were on board. That includes 25 passengers and seven crew members. A video has emerged showing what purports to be the wreckage. It was badly damaged. Rescue personnel and military officers have been deployed to the area.
Military air crashes have recurred in Nigeria. In 2019, a Nigerian Air Force helicopter crashed in Katsina. In 2021, an aircraft went down in Kaduna. In 2023, a NAF trainer aircraft crashed in Makurdi. The causes range from mechanical failure to pilot error. The Air Force has struggled with ageing platforms and maintenance. The ATR-42 is a twin-engine turboprop used for transport and liaison missions. Monday’s crash adds to the list.
The Aviation Minister, Festus Keyamo, confirmed the crash. He said the aircraft disappeared from radar at about 9:13 am. It was travelling from Benin to Lagos. Air traffic controllers tried to raise it on radio. They failed. Information later confirmed it had crashed near the Naval Base in Igbokoda. The wreckage was located.
Keyamo clarified that military aircraft fall outside the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Aviation and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority. He said he had spoken with the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke. He pledged the ministry’s cooperation in the rescue effort.
The Nigerian Air Force confirmed ownership of the aircraft. It said it was on a routine mission. Initial reports said a helicopter had crashed. That was wrong. The Air Force identified the aircraft as the ATR-42.
The Navy’s Forward Operating Base in Ondo joined the search. The terrain is riverine and difficult. Access is slow. The condition of those on board and the exact number of casualties remain unconfirmed. Search and rescue operations continue.
Winners: No winners. Losers: The 32 people on board and their families. The Nigerian Air Force, whose safety record faces scrutiny. The military, which loses a transport asset. The nation, which awaits news of survivors.
Bottom Line: A military aircraft crashed with 32 people on board. Wreckage footage shows severe damage. The site is swampy and hard to reach. Rescue teams are working. The families wait. Nigeria has seen this before. The Air Force must investigate.