A Nigerian Air Force aircraft carrying 32 people has crashed in the swampy riverine area of Igbokoda, Ondo State, prompting a search by residents and emergency services after parts of the wreckage were found near a naval base.
The aircraft, an ATR-42 with tail number NGR 931, was on a routine mission from Benin in Edo State to Lagos when air traffic controllers lost contact with it at about 9.13 am on Monday, 5 October 2026. Efforts to re-establish radio communication failed. Authorities later confirmed that the aircraft had come down close to the Naval Base in Igbokoda, in Ilaje Local Government Area.
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, said preliminary information indicated that 25 passengers and seven crew members were on board. He stated that the wreckage had been located and that search and rescue operations were under way. Keyamo said he had spoken with the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, and pledged the ministry’s cooperation. He also noted that the regulation of military aircraft falls outside the authority of the ministry and the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority.
The Nigerian Air Force confirmed ownership of the aircraft. Its Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, said an immediate search and rescue operation had been activated in coordination with relevant agencies. The force described the flight as a routine mission and said further details would be released in due course. It did not give casualty figures.
Residents of Igbokoda, a riverine community and commercial centre in the oil-producing Ilaje area, reported that the crash occurred in swampy terrain opposite the naval base. Locals joined emergency teams in searching the difficult ground. The Ondo State Police Command earlier confirmed that an incident had taken place, while saying that details were still emerging.
It is not yet known whether any of the 32 people on board survived, or how badly the aircraft was damaged. Officials have said further information will be released as the search continues.
By John James
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