A tragic plane crash occurred in Igbokoda, Ondo State, Nigeria, on October 5, 2026, killing all 32 people on board, including 25 passengers and seven crew members. The aircraft, an ATR-42 belonging to the Nigerian Air Force, was on a routine mission from Benin City to Lagos when it crashed shortly after 9:00 am. President Bola Tinubu has ordered an investigation into the incident and condoled the families of the victims and the Nigerian Air Force.
According to Bayo Onanuga, special adviser to the president on information and strategy, Tinubu expressed his deepest condolences to the families of the victims and the Nigerian Air Force. The president also commiserated with the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, as well as officers, airmen, and airwomen of the Nigerian Air Force over the tragedy. Tinubu described the incident as a painful moment for the Armed Forces and the entire nation.
The Nigerian Air Force confirmed the accident, stating that the aircraft crashed while on a routine mission from Benin to Lagos. The NAF's Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, said the force immediately commenced a search and rescue operation following the crash. The operation involved personnel working alongside relevant authorities and emergency response agencies at the crash site.
Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo described the crashed aircraft as an ATR-42, a twin-engine turboprop aircraft manufactured to carry between 30 and 50 passengers. The crash occurred in the Igbokoda area of Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, near a naval base. Keyamo and Tinubu confirmed that the aircraft was on a routine mission when it went down.
Presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore expressed sadness over the incident and called for a broader investigation into both the cause of the crash and Nigeria's emergency response capacity. Sowore sympathized with the families and loved ones of those aboard the aircraft, as well as affected Nigerian Air Force officers and personnel. He raised concerns about the country's preparedness to respond to major disasters.
Sowore called for a thorough and transparent investigation into the crash, which should establish not only what caused the accident but also how the emergency response was handled. The investigation should examine how quickly assistance arrived, the equipment available to responders, the obstacles encountered at the scene, and whether lives could have been saved with a better-prepared emergency system.
President Tinubu assured the Nigerian Air Force of the continued support of his administration as it carries out its responsibilities in securing the country. He commended the NAF for immediately activating a search and rescue operation after the aircraft went down and acknowledged the response of first responders and the Ondo State Government at the crash site.
Key points
- President Bola Tinubu has ordered an investigation into the military aircraft crash in Ondo State, Nigeria, that killed 32 people on board.
- The Nigerian Air Force has commenced a search and rescue operation following the crash, with personnel working alongside relevant authorities and emergency response agencies.
- Presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore has called for a broader investigation into the cause of the crash and Nigeria's emergency response capacity.
