32 DEAD AS MILITARY AIRCRAFT CRASHES IN ONDO, Tinubu declares three days’ national mourning, orders flags at half-mast
By Augustine Martha Kwaada
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has declared three days of national mourning following the crash of a Nigerian military aircraft in Igbokoda, Ondo State, which claimed the lives of 32 people — 25 passengers and seven crew members.
The military aircraft, identified as NGR 931, was reportedly on a routine flight from Benin City to Lagos when communication with the aircraft was lost shortly after it departed Benin at about 9:13 a.m. on Monday.
The aircraft later crashed near a naval base in Igbokoda, with witnesses reporting thick smoke rising from the crash site.
A resident said clothes and shoes were found around the area, while the wreckage was located close to a swamp.
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, confirmed that efforts to establish radio contact with the aircraft initially failed before authorities received confirmation that it had crashed in the Igbokoda area.
Keyamo said search-and-rescue operations were immediately activated following the incident.
Reacting to the tragedy, President Tinubu expressed condolences to the families of the deceased and the Nigerian Armed Forces, describing the incident as a painful moment for the country.
The President also directed the Nigerian Air Force to commence a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash, with a view to determining its cause and preventing a recurrence.
Tinubu ordered that Nigerian flags be flown at half-mast nationwide throughout the mourning period in honour of the fallen military personnel.
“This is a painful moment for our Armed Forces and for the entire nation,” the President said.
He added that Nigerian Air Force personnel “put their lives on the line every day to secure Nigeria,” stressing that their sacrifice would not be forgotten.
Authorities have yet to release the identities of the victims, saying the names of the deceased officers would be made public after their families had been formally notified.
The crash ranks among the country’s deadliest military aviation tragedies in recent years and comes as the Nigerian Air Force continues to play a c.entral role in counter-insurgency and other security operations across the country.
The incident also recalls the May 2021 military aircraft crash in Kaduna, in which then Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen Ibrahim Attahiru, and 10 other military personnel were killed.
The cause of Monday’s crash remains unknown as investigations continue
