Nigerian Air Force aircraft crashes in Ondo State with 32 aboard

On October 5, 2026, a Nigerian Air Force ATR-42 went down near Igbokoda in Ondo State, southwestern Nigeria, during a flight from Benin to Lagos with 25 passengers and seven crew members aboard. The wreckage was located near a naval base, and search and rescue operations were under way, with no immediate confirmation of casualties.¹²³⁴

Contact lost during routine flight

The aircraft was carrying out a routine mission between Benin and Lagos when the accident occurred in the Igbokoda area of Ilaje Local Government Area. Air traffic controllers told Aviation and Aerospace Development Minister Festus Keyamo that the aircraft had disappeared at 0913 hours, and attempts to contact it by radio were unsuccessful.²³⁴

According to Keyamo, the missing plane bore tail number NGR 931, and initial reports put the number on board at 32: 25 passengers and seven crew members. The Nigerian Air Force identified the aircraft type as an ATR-42, although separate reporting said the precise airframe involved had not been independently established.¹²³⁴

The aircraft came down near Igbokoda, close to a naval base. Deutsche Welle reported that the crash occurred about halfway through the journey from Edo State to Lagos, while The Independent cited local reports that it came down near a river and that part of the aircraft was sinking in the water.¹²

Rescue operation under way

The Nigerian Air Force said it activated an immediate search and rescue operation. Military teams were coordinating with relevant authorities and emergency response agencies after the wreckage was found, and the operation remained under way in the reports published on October 5.¹²³⁴

Keyamo said he spoke with Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, the Chief of Air Staff, and offered support and cooperation in the response. The aviation ministry and the Civil Aviation Authority do not control or regulate military aircraft, according to reports citing the minister’s statement.²³

Casualties and cause remain unclear

Neither the Nigerian Air Force nor the aviation ministry initially provided a casualty figure. Reports from the scene included witness accounts of human remains, clothing and shoes, but those accounts had not been matched by an official statement confirming deaths or injuries.¹²⁴

The cause of the crash had not been established. AllAfrica reported that police said an investigation remained in progress, while the Nigerian Air Force said additional information would be released later.³⁵

Aircraft role

According to The Independent, the Nigerian military has deployed the ATR-42 for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance work and to transport personnel and supplies. AllAfrica reported that the Nigerian Air Force operates two ATR 42-500MP aircraft registered as NAF 930 and NAF 931; that fleet information was not independently confirmed by the other sources in the dossier.²³