A Nigerian military aircraft carrying 32 people has crashed in Igbokoda, Ondo State, killing all 25 passengers and seven crew members on board.
The ATR-42 aircraft was on a routine mission from Benin City in Edo State to Lagos when air traffic controllers lost contact with it at about 9:13am on Monday.
The wreckage was later located near the Naval Base in Igbokoda, triggering search and rescue operations. President Bola Tinubu subsequently confirmed that there were no survivors.
Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo said the aircraft, with tail number NGR 931, disappeared from radar after efforts to establish radio contact failed.
Mr Keyamo said preliminary information showed that 25 passengers and seven crew members were aboard the aircraft.
The Nigerian Air Force identified the aircraft as an ATR-42, which has been used by the military for intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and personnel transport.
The wreckage was found close to a naval base in the Igbokoda area of Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State.
President Bola Tinubu confirmed that all 32 people aboard the aircraft died in the crash.
The President expressed “profound sadness” over the tragedy and extended condolences to the families of the victims.
Mr Tinubu also directed the Nigerian Air Force to immediately begin a thorough investigation into the cause of the crash, with the aim of preventing similar incidents in the future.
Crash sparks emergency response
The crash occurred around the riverside community of Igbokoda, with rescue teams deployed to the area after the aircraft was located.
Local residents reported hearing a loud sound before the aircraft went down, while parts of the wreckage and personal belongings were seen around the crash site.
The incident has since drawn the attention of multiple emergency and security agencies as authorities work to recover the victims and establish exactly what caused the aircraft to crash.
The cause of the crash has not been established.
President Tinubu has ordered a full investigation by the Nigerian Air Force, while the Aviation Ministry said it would cooperate with the military in the aftermath of the incident.
The crash is one of Nigeria’s deadliest aviation disasters in recent years, raising fresh concerns about the safety and operational condition of military aircraft.
Previous military air crashes
Nigeria has experienced several fatal military aviation accidents in recent years.
In 2021, then Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General Ibrahim Attahiru and 10 other military personnel died when their aircraft crashed while attempting to land in Kaduna during adverse weather conditions.
Another military aircraft crash in 2015 killed seven people after the plane went down in Kaduna.
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