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Nigerian Air Force says plane carrying 25 crashed with no survivors in southern Ondo state
The Air Force ordered a thorough probe after the crash and said all 25 people aboard were killed, with no survivors found.
On Monday, October 5, 2026, a Nigerian Air Force ATR-42 aircraft with tail number NGR 931 crashed into a swamp near a naval base in Igbokoda, Ondo State, killing all 25 people aboard during a routine mission from Benin City to Lagos.
Air Force officials revised the casualty count to 25 fatalities after a formal manifest review, correcting initial reports that claimed 32 people were on board the turboprop carrying military personnel and civilian family members.
President Bola Tinubu declared three days of national mourning and directed the Air Force to commence a thorough investigation into the crash's cause; flags were ordered flown at half-mast nationwide.
Defence officials and regional leaders extended condolences to bereaved families, acknowledging the sacrifice of fallen personnel. This incident adds to at least 20 military aircraft crashes recorded since 2015, raising concerns about aviation safety protocols.
Air Force headquarters in Abuja opened a condolence register for officials and sympathisers, while investigations into mechanical and environmental factors proceed to identify the cause and prevent future occurrences across military aviation units.
Nigeria ordered the immediate initiation of a thorough investigation to determine the causes of the fall of the aircraft and to take the necessary action.