By Isiaka Mustapha, Editor-in-Chief, People’s Security Monitor

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has declared three days of national mourning following the crash of a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) ATR-42 aircraft in Igbokoda, Ondo State, which killed all 32 people on board. The President also directed that national flags be flown at half-mast across the country in honour of the victims. The State House said Tinubu ordered the Nigerian Air Force to commence a thorough investigation into the cause of the crash.

The aircraft, identified by the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development as military aircraft NGR 931, was travelling from Benin, Edo State, to Lagos on a routine mission. According to Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo, air traffic controllers lost contact with the aircraft at about 9:13 a.m. on October 5, 2026, after repeated attempts to establish radio contact failed. The aircraft was subsequently confirmed to have crashed close to the Naval Base in Igbokoda.

Preliminary information released by the ministry showed that 25 passengers and seven crew members were aboard the aircraft, bringing the total number of people on board to 32. The wreckage was located near the naval base, and search-and-rescue operations were activated by the Nigerian Air Force in coordination with relevant authorities and emergency response agencies.

President Tinubu, in his response to the incident, described the crash as a painful moment for the Armed Forces and the country. He expressed condolences to the families of those on board and commended the Nigerian Air Force, first responders and the Ondo State Government for their response at the crash site. The Presidency said the names of the officers involved would be released by the Air Force after their families had been contacted.

The cause of the crash had not been officially established at the time of reporting. Tinubu directed the Nigerian Air Force to conduct a thorough investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the accident and identify measures to prevent a recurrence. The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau also said it had activated search-and-rescue coordination and was ready to provide technical assistance to the Air Force if requested.

The three-day mourning period announced by the President places the national focus on the 32 people who lost their lives in the crash and on their families, colleagues and the Nigerian Air Force. With the investigation now underway, attention will turn to establishing the aircraft’s operational circumstances and the sequence of events before it went down in Igbokoda. Until investigators release their findings, no definitive cause of the crash can be established.