Families, friends and colleagues of personnel aboard the Nigerian Air Force ATR-42 aircraft that crashed in Igbokoda, Ondo State, have been left mourning following the fatal incident.
A Daily Trust report published on October 7, 2026, titled “Officers’ moments before crash,” details the activities and final moments surrounding some of the military personnel before the aircraft went down.
The aircraft, identified as NAF 931, was on a routine mission from Benin City to Lagos when air-traffic controllers lost contact with it at about 9:13 a.m. on October 5.
Residents of Igbokoda later reported hearing a loud sound/explosion from the direction of the waterways. The aircraft crashed into a swampy, bushy and waterlogged area, rather than directly into the town.
One resident told Daily Trust that he initially feared the worst because of the possibility that the aircraft could have crashed inside the community. The crash site was difficult to reach because of the terrain and flooding.
The tragedy claimed the lives of those aboard. The Nigerian Air Force subsequently confirmed that 25 people were on board — 20 passengers and five crew members — with no survivors.
The cause of the crash has not yet been established. President Bola Tinubu ordered a thorough investigation into the incident, while the Nigerian Air Force activated search-and-rescue operations immediately after the aircraft went down.