Military aircraft crashes near Naval Base in Ondo, 32 feared aboard
By Goodness Ndukuba
A military aircraft with tail number NGR 931, en route from Benin to Lagos, has crashed near the Naval Base in Igbokoda, Ondo State, with search and rescue operations currently underway.
The incident was disclosed by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo, in a post on his X handle, @FKeyamo, on Monday.
According to him, Air Traffic Controllers reported that the aircraft disappeared from radar after they lost contact with it at about 9:13 a.m.
Repeated attempts to establish radio communication with the aircraft were unsuccessful.
The aircraft was subsequently located after information received by the authorities confirmed that it had crashed close to the Naval Base in Igbokoda.
Preliminary information indicates that 25 passengers and seven crew members, making a total of 32 people, may have been aboard the military aircraft at the time of the crash.
However, authorities have yet to provide details on the condition or fate of those on board, as search and rescue operations continue at the crash site.
The minister said that although the control and regulation of military aircraft fall outside the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, he had spoken with the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, and pledged the ministry’s full cooperation and assistance in the ongoing rescue operation.
Keyamo expressed regret over the incident and assured the public that further information would be released as it becomes available.
The crash has prompted continued efforts by emergency and security agencies to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident and account for all persons believed to have been on board the aircraft.
Meanwhile,the Nigerian Air Force has confirmed that the aircraft which crashed in the Igbokoda area of Ondo State on Monday belonged to the service, as search and rescue operations continued.
The Air Force said the ATR-42 aircraft was on a routine mission from Benin, Edo State, to Lagos when the accident occurred on October 5, 2026.
In a statement on Monday, the Director of Public Relations and Information of the Nigerian Air Force, Ehimen Ejodame, said an immediate search and rescue operation had been activated in coordination with relevant authorities and emergency response agencies.
