Residents of Igbokoda in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State have recounted the panic that followed the crash of a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) ATR-42 aircraft in a swampy area near the coastal community.
The aircraft, with registration number NGR 931, was on a routine mission from Benin to Lagos when it crashed near the Naval Base in Igbokoda at about 9:13 a.m. on Monday.
The Nigerian Air Force confirmed that 32 people were on board, comprising 25 passengers and seven crew members.
Although search-and-rescue operations were activated immediately after the incident, local residents said the difficult terrain, heavy rainfall and the aircraft’s location deep inside the creek complicated rescue efforts.
Witnesses described hearing a loud explosion before seeing aircraft debris, clothing and human remains scattered around the waterlogged crash site.
A community leader, Hosea Maha, said residents were fishing across the river when they heard the explosion.
“We were fishing on the other side of the river when we heard a big explosion inside the water,” Maha said.
He said residents mobilised towards the area but were unable to reach the wreckage because of the depth of the swamp.
According to him, some residents could see parts of the aircraft and human remains around the crash site before naval personnel were alerted.
Another resident, Oluboyo Olusola, said he personally visited the crash area and saw aircraft debris, clothing and human remains.
He said some of the clothing appeared to belong to women and children.
Other residents said the crash site was difficult to access because the aircraft had plunged into a swampy section of the creek.
Akinte Oluwatere said naval personnel arrived at the scene and joined residents in attempting to reach the aircraft, but the location made rescue extremely difficult.
Ayedugbe Abel also said rainfall further complicated the search.
According to him, residents mobilised in canoes and some even attempted to swim towards the suspected crash site.
Despite the community’s efforts, residents said they were unable to rescue any of the occupants.
The Chief Press Secretary to the Chairman of Ilaje Local Government Area, Taiwo Sadare, said local government officials, naval personnel and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) were involved in the response.
He added that a helicopter was deployed from Abuja to help locate and monitor the crash site.
NAF Confirms Accident
The Nigerian Air Force confirmed the accident in a statement issued by Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame.
The Force said it had activated an immediate search-and-rescue operation following the ATR-42 accident in the Igbokoda area of Ondo State on October 5, 2026.
The aircraft was travelling from Benin to Lagos when the accident occurred.
The NAF said search-and-rescue operations were being conducted in coordination with relevant authorities and emergency response agencies.
It added that further details would be released as operations progressed.
Keyamo Says Contact Was Lost
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, also confirmed the incident.
Keyamo said air traffic controllers lost contact with the aircraft at approximately 9:13 a.m. after attempts to establish communication failed.
Subsequent information confirmed that the aircraft had crashed close to the Naval Base in Igbokoda and that the wreckage had been located.
The minister said preliminary information indicated that 25 passengers and seven crew members were aboard.
Keyamo, however, clarified that military aircraft fall outside the regulatory control of the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development and the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
He said he had spoken with the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, and assured the Nigerian Air Force of the ministry’s cooperation and assistance.
Cause Of Crash Yet To Be Established
While a local government official said preliminary information suggested poor weather may have affected the aircraft, authorities have not officially established the cause of the crash.
The account that bad weather contributed to the accident remains preliminary and should not be treated as the confirmed cause until the official investigation is completed.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has therefore directed the Nigerian Air Force to conduct a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash.
Tinubu Declares Three Days Of Mourning
President Tinubu expressed sadness over the incident and extended condolences to the families of those aboard the aircraft and the Nigerian Air Force.
According to a statement by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the President described the incident as a painful moment for the Armed Forces and the country.
Tinubu directed the Nigerian Air Force to immediately investigate the cause of the crash and identify measures that could prevent similar incidents.
He also declared three days of national mourning for those who died in the crash and directed that national flags be flown at half-mast in their honour.
The President commended the Nigerian Air Force, first responders and the Ondo State Government for their response to the incident.
NSIB Offers Technical Assistance
The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has offered technical assistance to the Nigerian Air Force.
The Bureau said it was prepared to deploy investigators and make its Flight Safety Laboratory available for the recovery, readout and analysis of flight recorder data if formally requested by the Air Force.
The NSIB clarified that because the aircraft was operated by the military, investigative responsibility rests with the Nigerian Air Force.
It nevertheless said it remained ready to provide technical expertise to support the investigation.
The Bureau also urged the public to rely on official information from the Nigerian Air Force concerning the search-and-rescue operation and subsequent investigation.
Igbokoda Community Counts Its Losses
For residents of Igbokoda, the crash has left the community in shock.
The traditional ruler of Igbokoda, Oba Afolabi Odidiomo, said he initially feared the aircraft could have crashed into the densely populated part of the community.
He expressed relief that the aircraft came down in a bushy and waterlogged area rather than inside the town, potentially preventing a larger civilian casualty.
However, he said there were no reports of survivors at the time he spoke.
The incident has also renewed attention on the safety of military aviation operations in Nigeria, with the latest accident adding to a series of military and other aviation incidents recorded in the country over the past decade.
For now, attention remains focused on the search-and-rescue operation, recovery of the victims and wreckage, identification of those on board and the investigation into what caused the NAF ATR-42 to crash.
The Nigerian Air Force has yet to release the names of the occupants, saying the identities would be communicated after the relevant procedures and notification of their families are completed.
