The Nigerian Air Force has commenced a comprehensive investigation into Monday’s military aircraft crash at Igbokoda in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, as recovery teams battle difficult swamp terrain to locate the submerged fuselage and retrieve the remains of victims.
The Nigerian Air Force said the investigation was ordered by the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, following the crash involving an ATR-42 aircraft, NAF 931, reportedly on a routine flight from Lagos to Benin City.
A military source said a board of inquiry had been activated in line with established Air Force procedures, with the Superintendent of Standards and Evaluation traditionally serving as chairman.
“A board of inquiry has been set up. Immediately after an aircraft crashes, we activate the board of specialists,” the source said, adding that investigators were already working alongside recovery teams because the recovery of wreckage forms part of the investigation.
However, NAF spokesman, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, said the service was following its standard aircraft accident investigation procedure.
He said the Chief of the Air Staff had directed a comprehensive investigation and that its findings would be released after the preliminary process.
“The most important thing is that the Chief of Air Staff has directed a comprehensive investigation and the outcome of that one will be communicated. Whether it’s a board, committee, or a one-man army,” Ejodame said.
Recovery hampered by swamp
Recovery operations remained difficult on Wednesday, 72 hours after the crash, with the main body of the aircraft still submerged in the swamp.
Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, who visited the crash site, described the scene as “a very gory sight”, saying body parts, clothing, personal belongings and fragments of the aircraft had been recovered.
He said no survivor had been found and that the main fuselage had yet to be located.
“The main body of the aircraft has not been sighted, because it has been submerged in the swamp,” Aiyedatiwa said.
He directed the deployment of two amphibious machines, popularly known as swamp buggies, to open access through the difficult terrain and enable larger boats to get closer to the crash site.
A military source said a private construction company had also deployed specialised floating equipment to clear dense vegetation blocking access to the crash site.
The source said the aircraft was deeply submerged and that recovery of the fuselage and remaining victims would take time because the area first had to be cleared.
The Nigerian Navy has meanwhile deployed specialised sonar equipment from its Hydrographic Department to help locate the submerged aircraft.
The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, ordered the deployment, while the Flag Officer Commanding, Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Abubakar Mustapha, inspected the operation and urged the recovery teams to intensify their efforts.
Navy personnel, Air Force personnel, emergency agencies, security operatives and local divers are participating in the recovery operation.
The Ondo State Commissioner of Police, Felix Ohuagwu, said there were no survivors, adding that the State Marine Police, Nigerian Navy and local volunteers were working to recover the victims and wreckage.
NAF dismisses aircraft-age concerns
The Air Force also dismissed speculation that the aircraft was obsolete or unfit for operation.
A military source said the aircraft was a relatively modern acquisition delivered around 2010 and had been properly maintained.
The cause of the crash, however, remains unknown pending the outcome of the investigation.
There has also been public confusion over the number of people aboard the aircraft.
Ejodame explained that the figure reported by air traffic controllers referred to 25 “souls on board”, including seven crew members, rather than 25 passengers plus seven crew.
According to him, there were 25 people on board, comprising five active crew members and two other crew members travelling as passengers.
Calls for wider military aviation probe
The crash has triggered renewed calls for a broader review of the Nigerian military’s aircraft maintenance, operations and safety systems.
A former Director of the Department of State Services and President of the Alumni Association of the National Institute for Security Studies, Mike Ejiofor, said the investigation should go beyond determining the immediate cause of the Igbokoda crash.
He said the frequency of military aircraft crashes in recent years warranted an examination of the age, maintenance and operational condition of the entire military fleet.
“I think it’s becoming one too many—the incidents of air crashes involving the military,” Ejiofor said in an interview on Arise News.
He also questioned the initial discrepancies in casualty figures, saying the aircraft manifest should provide a definitive record of those on board.
Ejiofor stressed the importance of recovering the aircraft’s black boxes, saying they could provide crucial evidence on what happened before the crash.
He cautioned against speculation over reports of a loud explosion before the aircraft went down, saying investigators would need to establish whether any explosion occurred before impact or whether the sound resulted from the crash itself.
FG, NAF seek closer aviation safety cooperation
Meanwhile, the Federal Government has moved to deepen cooperation between civil and military aviation authorities following the tragedy.
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, announced the planned collaboration after paying a condolence visit to Aneke.
Keyamo said the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority and the Nigerian Air Force would establish a joint framework covering areas including airworthiness, certification, training and aviation safety.
He said the initiative would allow personnel from both sectors to share expertise and access relevant training programmes.
“It is one country, one people. When disaster happens, it affects everybody,” Keyamo said.
Aneke welcomed the initiative, saying civil and military aviation professionals had a shared responsibility to improve aviation safety and protect Nigerians.
“We have both agreed that we need to move the aviation industry, whether military or civil, to a higher level,” the Chief of Air Staff said.
Condolences pour in
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu expressed grief over the crash and declared three days of national mourning for the victims while ordering a full investigation.
Condolences have continued to pour in from political leaders, traditional rulers and communities across the country.
Former Sokoto State governor and Senator representing Sokoto South, Aminu Tambuwal; the Olugbo of Ugboland, Oba Frederick Akinruntan; and several Abia political leaders mourned the victims.
Among those identified was Abia-born Squadron Leader Ahamefule Aham Man-Ugwueje, whose death was particularly mourned by Governor Alex Otti, former governor Orji Uzor Kalu, Senators Enyi Abaribe and Austin Akobundu, and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu.
Otti described Man-Ugwueje’s death as devastating, noting that the officer had reportedly married Flight Lieutenant Damilola Adekunle only about two weeks before the crash.
Akobundu called for the speedy recovery of the bodies and wreckage, saying the aircraft must be thoroughly examined to establish the cause of the accident and prevent a recurrence.
The Deputy Speaker also described the crash as a national tragedy and pledged parliamentary support for measures aimed at strengthening military aviation safety.
As recovery operations continue at Igbokoda, investigators are expected to piece together evidence from the crash site, aircraft wreckage, flight records and, if recovered, the aircraft’s flight recorders to establish what caused the tragedy.
