Tuesday, October 6, 2026 -Thirty-two people were killed after a military aircraft crashed in Igbokoda, Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, on Monday, sources have told SaharaReporters.
The aircraft, an ATR-42 operated by the Nigerian military,
crashed near the Naval Base in Igbokoda while travelling from Benin to Lagos.
“Thirty-two people died in the plane crash that occurred in
Ondo State,” a source privy to the information told SaharaReporters.
The reported death toll comes after the Minister of Aviation
and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, confirmed that 25 passengers and
seven crew members were aboard the aircraft.
Sources told SaharaReporters that all 32 people on board are
believed to have died in the crash. However, authorities had yet to officially
confirm the number of fatalities as of the time of filing this report.
Keyamo had earlier said preliminary information indicated
that 25 passengers and seven crew members were on board the aircraft when it
crashed.
In a statement posted on his official X handle on Monday,
the minister said Air Traffic Controllers informed him that the military
aircraft, with registration number NGR 931, travelling from Benin to Lagos, had
disappeared from radar.
He said the aircraft was last in communication at about
9:13am.
“All efforts to raise the aircraft on radio proved
abortive,” Keyamo said.
The minister said subsequent information confirmed that the
aircraft had crashed close to the Naval Base in Igbokoda, the headquarters of
Ilaje Local Government Area.
“The wreckage has been located and search and rescue
operations are ongoing,” he added.
Keyamo said preliminary information indicated that there
were 25 passengers and seven crew members aboard the aircraft.
He also clarified that the Ministry of Aviation and
Aerospace Development and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) have no
regulatory control over military aircraft.
“Whilst the control and regulation of military aircraft are
completely outside the authority of the Ministry of Aviation, and Civil
Aviation Authority, I have just spoken to the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal
Sunday Kelvin Aneke and pledged our total cooperation and assistance in the
search and rescue efforts ongoing,” he said.
He added that further information would be made available as
authorities continued to establish the circumstances surrounding the crash.
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) had earlier confirmed the
crash, saying an ATR-42 aircraft had gone down in the Igbokoda area while on a
routine mission from Benin to Lagos.
In a statement issued by its Director of Public Relations
and Information, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, the NAF said it immediately
commenced a search and rescue operation.
“The Nigerian Air Force has commenced an immediate Search
and Rescue operation following an ATR-42 aircraft accident in Igbokoda Area of
Ondo State on 5th October 2026,” Ejodame said.
The NAF said its personnel were working with relevant
authorities and emergency response agencies in the search and rescue operation.
The military had not initially disclosed the number of
people aboard the aircraft or confirmed any casualties.
Earlier, SaharaReporters reported that several people were
feared dead after an aircraft crashed in Igbokoda, throwing the coastal
community into panic.
Initial information from residents had described the
aircraft as a helicopter.
“Yes, it’s true. A helicopter just crashed now at Igbokoda,
Ondo state,” a resident told SaharaReporters.
The NAF subsequently clarified that the aircraft was an
ATR-42 and said it was on a routine mission from Benin to Lagos.
The cause of the crash also remained unclear as of the time
of filing this report.
Igbokoda is a riverine community and commercial hub in
Ilaje, one of Ondo State's oil-producing areas. The community and surrounding
areas are also associated with oil and gas operations, where aviation is
frequently used for logistics.
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