The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has constituted a 12-member board of inquiry to investigate the crash of one of its ATR-42 transport aircraft near Igbokoda in Ondo State on October 5, 2026. All 25 people on board, 20 passengers and five crew members, lost their lives. The aircraft, registered NAF 931, was flying from Benin City to Lagos when it went down.
President Bola Tinubu declared three days of national mourning following the accident, and condolence messages have come from state governments, political parties and international partners.
Recorders and wreckage
The Air Force has said that the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder are key to understanding the aircraft’s final moments. Teams have been recovering wreckage from the crash site, and the service has indicated that technical analysis will include maintenance records, weather data and communications with air traffic control.
Allegations circulated online that the aircraft had shown an engine problem before departing Benin City. The NAF has rejected claims of a cover-up and said all such reports are being reviewed as part of the investigation, urging the public to await the board’s findings.
Key points
- Date and place: October 5, near Igbokoda, Ondo State.
- Casualties: 25 people, 20 passengers and five crew, died.
- Aircraft: ATR-42, registration NAF 931, Benin City to Lagos.
- Probe: a 12-member board; recorders recovered for analysis.
- Mourning: three days of national mourning were declared.
Calls for transparency
Families of the victims and aviation safety advocates have called for a transparent process and for the findings to be published. Military air accidents in Nigeria are investigated internally, although the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau can provide technical support. Observers say clear communication about the timeline for an interim report would help reassure the public.
Background
The ATR-42 is a twin-turboprop aircraft widely used around the world for short regional routes and, in military service, for moving personnel and light cargo. Investigations into air accidents usually take months, because experts must download and interpret the recorders, examine the engines and airframe, and reconstruct the flight path.
The board has not yet given a date for its report.
Photo: Unsplash (illustrative).
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