By By: Contributor
Nigeria woke up to heartbreak on Monday. A Nigerian Air Force ATR-42 aircraft, marked NAF 931, crashed at about 9:13 AM in a swampy forest near the naval base in Igbokoda, Ondo State, killing all 32 people on board. The aircraft was on a routine flight from Benin City to Lagos when air traffic control lost contact just minutes after takeoff.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, visibly shaken by the disaster, has declared a three-day national mourning period across Africa’s most populous nation. According to a State House release by his spokesman Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu ordered that all flags nationwide be flown at half-mast to honour the fallen heroes — 25 passengers and 7 crew members who paid the ultimate price.
Eyewitness accounts paint a grim picture. Residents near the crash site said they heard a sound like thunder before seeing debris scattered around a river. Videos circulating online show a small crowd gathered at the riverbank while rescue teams searched by boat. Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa later confirmed the worst: “No single life was saved. They could not see any living soul in that aircraft.”
In his tribute, President Tinubu said this is one of the worst air disasters in Nigeria in recent years and a painful moment for the Armed Forces. “I extend my deepest condolences to the families of our fallen officers. Their courage and sacrifice for the nation will never be forgotten,” he said. The Air Force is yet to release the identities of the victims pending notification of their families.
Meanwhile, the President has ordered the Nigerian Air Force to immediately commence a thorough investigation into the cause of the crash to prevent future occurrences. The ATR-42, a twin-engine turboprop that carries between 30 to 50 passengers, was described as serviceable before the mission. For now, a nation mourns.
