The Nigerian Navy and Marine Police have launched a search for the remains of victims and wreckage following the crash of a Nigerian Air Force aircraft in Igbokoda, Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State. The aircraft, carrying 25 people — 20 passengers and five crew members — crashed into a swamp near the Naval Base at about 9am on Monday.
The ATR-42 aircraft, tail number NAF 931, was en route from Benin City to Lagos when the crash occurred. Police Commissioner Felix Ohuagwu, who visited the scene with a team of officers, said there were no survivors. Marine Police officers, Navy personnel and local residents are working together to recover the victims and aircraft wreckage, while the Navy has restricted access to the crash site as residents and sympathisers gather nearby.
The Nigerian Air Force has released the names of the crew members and passengers killed in the accident. Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, had expressed condolences to the families, describing the crash as a deeply painful moment for the Air Force and the nation.
Aneke assured the bereaved families of the Service’s full support and ordered a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash. The Air Force said it would provide verified updates as the investigation progresses and urged the public to avoid speculation and the spread of unverified information, while respecting the privacy and dignity of the affected families.