President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has declared three days of national mourning after a Nigerian Air Force aircraft crashed in Igbokoda, Ondo State.
The ATR-42 aircraft, identified as NAF 931, was flying from Benin, Edo State, to Lagos when it crashed on Monday.
The aircraft was on a routine mission. It crashed near a naval base in Igbokoda, Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State.
The Nigerian Air Force later confirmed that 25 people were on board. The passengers included five crew members and 20 passengers.
The Air Force released the names of the victims on Tuesday after contacting their families. No one survived the crash.
President Tinubu directed Nigerians to fly national flags at half-mast during the three-day mourning period.
The President described the crash as a painful loss for the Armed Forces and the country.
He also commended the Nigerian Air Force and other first responders for their efforts at the crash site.
Tinubu directed the Air Force to conduct a thorough investigation into the accident.
He said the investigation should help authorities prevent similar incidents in the future.
Minister of Defence Christopher Musa has also ordered a comprehensive investigation into the crash.
Musa described the deaths as a major loss to the military and the nation.
He expressed his condolences to the families of the victims.
The Nigerian Air Force has also started investigating the accident. However, authorities have not yet identified the exact cause of the crash.
Investigators will examine the aircraft and its flight operations.
They will also review communication records and other factors that may have contributed to the accident.
Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa said residents, emergency workers and security personnel joined the search at the crash site.
Responders worked to locate the victims and recover the wreckage.
However, the search teams found no survivors.
The crash has renewed attention on safety within Nigeria’s military aviation system.
The ongoing investigation should provide more information about the events that led to the crash.
It may also help authorities identify measures to improve safety across Nigeria’s military aviation units.
For now, the country remains in mourning as authorities investigate the accident and support the families of those who died.
