Igbokoda, Nigeria: All 32 people aboard a Nigerian Air Force ATR-42 aircraft, registration NGR 931, were killed after the aircraft crashed in a swampy area near the Naval Base in Igbokoda, Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, on October 5, 2026.
The aircraft, operated by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), was flying a routine mission from Benin City, Edo State, to Lagos when air traffic controllers lost contact with it at about 09:13 local time (08:13 GMT). Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo said repeated attempts to raise the aircraft by radio were unsuccessful. “All efforts to raise the aircraft on radio proved abortive,” Keyamo said.
The aircraft was subsequently confirmed to have crashed close to the Naval Base in Igbokoda, where its wreckage was located. The NAF identified it as an ATR-42, a twin-engine turboprop aircraft used by the Nigerian military for maritime patrol, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions.
Keyamo said preliminary information showed that 25 passengers and seven crew members were aboard, making a total of 32 people. The Nigerian Presidency later confirmed that there were no survivors. The identities of those killed have not yet been publicly released, with the Presidency saying the Air Force would release the names after their families had been contacted.
The NAF immediately activated a search-and-rescue operation, working with relevant authorities and emergency agencies. Personnel from the Nigerian Navy, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Ondo State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), police, Nigerian Red Cross and other security and emergency services joined the response. The swampy, riverine terrain made access to the crash site difficult, with boats used to reach parts of the area.
NAF spokesperson Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame said, “The aircraft was on a routine mission from Benin to Lagos when the accident occurred.”
He added, “Search and Rescue operations, in coordination with relevant authorities and emergency response agencies, are currently ongoing.”
Residents and responders reported finding aircraft wreckage, body parts, clothing, shoes, uniforms and other personal belongings scattered around the crash area. Recovery teams also worked to locate the aircraft’s flight recorder.
There is no confirmed cause of the crash. Authorities have not attributed the accident to mechanical failure, weather, pilot error or any other specific factor. The sequence currently established is that the ATR-42 departed Benin City for Lagos, communication was subsequently lost at 09:13, and the wreckage was later located near the Igbokoda Naval Base.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ordered the Nigerian Air Force to conduct a full investigation into the accident. “The Chief of Air Staff has briefed me, and I have directed the Nigerian Air Force to immediately commence a thorough investigation into the cause of the crash to prevent future occurrences,” Tinubu said.
He also commended the Air Force and first responders for their response and declared three days of national mourning, directing that flags be flown at half-mast across Nigeria.
“This is a painful moment for our Armed Forces and for the entire nation. Our Air Force personnel put their lives on the line every day to secure Nigeria. Their sacrifice will never be forgotten.”
The investigation will now determine what caused the aircraft to lose contact and crash during its Benin City–Lagos flight.
