Tinubu declares 3-day mourning after 32 die in NAF jet crash

A devastated Federal Republic of Nigeria has been plunged into a period of national mourning following the catastrophic crash of a military transport aircraft that claimed the lives of all thirty-two occupants on board. The tragedy, which stands as one of the most severe aviation disasters in the nation's recent military history, occurred in the coastal terrain of Ondo State. In response to the disaster, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu formally declared a three-day national mourning period beginning Tuesday, October 6, 2026, ordering all national flags to be flown at half-mast across the country in tribute to the fallen service members, airmen, and civilians.

The ill-fated aircraft, identified as a Nigerian Air Force ATR-42 twin-engine turboprop with tail number NGR 931, took off from Benin City on a routine logistics mission heading toward Lagos. According to Aviation and Aerospace Development Minister Festus Keyamo, air traffic controllers lost radio contact with the flight at precisely 9:13 am local time on Monday, October 5, 2026. All subsequent attempts by controllers to re-establish communication with the cockpit proved abortive before confirmation emerged that the turboprop had gone down.

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Nigerian President Tinubu declares three-day national mourning after Air Force jet crash kills 32 - Public TV English

Nigeria Declares 3 Days of Mourning After Military Plane Crash Kills 32

The aircraft plunged into a treacherous, waterlogged swamp directly opposite a naval base in Igbokoda, situated within the Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State. Ilaje Local Government Area Chairman Maurice Oripelaye, speaking through his Chief Press Secretary Taiwo Sadare, noted that poor weather conditions appeared to have heavily influenced the tragedy, suggesting the pilot attempted a desperate maneuver before impact. The traditional ruler of Igbokoda, the Olu, Oba Afolabi Odidiomo, inspected the reports and confirmed that the aircraft had largely sunk into the riverine mud without triggering a massive fire.

Search and rescue operations were mobilized immediately by the Nigerian Air Force, working in tandem with the Ondo State Emergency Management Agency, and naval personnel stationed at the nearby Forward Operating Base. Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa deployed state health and emergency infrastructure to assist the recovery mission and ordered the perimeter cordoned off. Speaking via Channels Television, Governor Aiyedatiwa confirmed that the search teams found no living souls, concluding that there were no survivors among the occupants.

While military aviation oversight falls outside the direct regulatory mandate of the Ministry of Aviation and Civil Aviation Authority, transport leadership pledged full cooperation. The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau, through Director General Capt. Alex Badeh Jr., announced its readiness to provide technical expertise, including the deployment of investigators and access to its Flight Safety Laboratory, should the Nigerian Air Force formally request assistance for flight recorder analysis.

President Tinubu expressed deep personal grief over the catastrophe, framing the disaster as a profound blow to the nation's security apparatus. 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, Tinubu stated through his administration. The President instructed the Nigerian Air Force to launch an accelerated, comprehensive investigation into the root causes of the accident once the aircraft's flight data recorder is fully recovered from the swamp.

As the three-day national mourning period progresses, the immediate focus remains on completing the recovery of all victims from the waterlogged terrain. The Nigerian Air Force has stated that the formal identities of the deceased airmen, soldiers, crew members, and traveling family members will be released to the public only after their respective families have been formally notified and contacted.