An eyewitness has shared a disturbing account of the Nigerian Air Force aircraft crash in Igbokoda, Ondo State, which involved 32 people on board.
The Nigerian Air Force ATR-42 aircraft, with tail number NGR 931, was travelling from Benin City to Lagos on a routine mission when air traffic controllers lost contact with it at about 9:13 a.m. on Monday, October 5. The wreckage was later located near the Naval Base in Igbokoda, Ilaje Local Government Area.
Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo had earlier disclosed that 25 passengers and seven crew members were aboard the aircraft. Initial official statements said search-and-rescue operations were underway, while authorities worked to establish the condition of those on board.
However, an eyewitness identified as Akinte Toluwalase claimed that there were no survivors at the crash site.
“All 32 people on board the Nigerian Air Force aircraft that crashed in Igbokoda, Ondo State, are feared dead. We saw the plane when it went down. We went there with some soldiers hoping to be able to rescue some people, but there was no way to rescue anyone,” he said.
The eyewitness further claimed that the aircraft had crashed into a swamp and that people at the scene recovered personal belongings and human remains.
“We got some videos showing the victims’ properties and body parts,” he added.
Subsequent reports cited a statement from the Federal Government saying all 32 people aboard the aircraft died in the crash. Reuters reported that President Bola Tinubu confirmed there were no survivors and ordered an investigation into the tragedy.
The crash has sparked mourning across the country as authorities work to establish what caused the military aircraft to go down during its flight from Benin to Lagos. The Nigerian Air Force has said further details would be communicated as the investigation and recovery efforts continue.
