• Pilot diverted aircraft from community before crash, says Aiyedatiwa
• Sonar, divers, drones deployed to locate submerged aircraft
• Naval, Air Force commanders assess difficult recovery operation
• Obi pays tribute as Adebayo-Bugaje suspends campaign for one week
• Bayelsa mourns four indigenes killed in tragedy
• Ex-DSS director questions aircraft’s mission, calls for wider probe
• Retired naval officer urges investigators to keep all possibilities open

The crash of a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) aircraft at Igbokoda, Ondo State, has prompted moves to strengthen cooperation between civil and military aviation authorities, even as recovery teams intensify efforts to locate the submerged aircraft and investigators probe the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.

The ATR-42 aircraft crashed in a swampy area near the Naval Base in Igbokoda, Ilaje Local Council Area of Ondo State, on Monday, while on a routine mission from Benin to Lagos. Air traffic controllers lost contact with the aircraft at about 9:13 a.m., after which the wreckage was located and search and recovery operations launched.

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, and the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, yesterday agreed to deepen collaboration between Nigeria’s civil and military aviation authorities following the tragedy.

The two leaders, who met in Abuja, resolved to establish a joint framework involving the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the NAF to strengthen aviation safety, airworthiness, certification, training and capacity building.

A statement by Tunde Moshood, who is the Special Adviser on Media and Communications to Keyamo, said the development was expected to narrow the longstanding operational divide between civil and military aviation, while also facilitating greater exchange of technical expertise between the two sectors.

Keyamo paid a condolence visit to Aneke in his office and signed the condolence register before holding a private meeting with the NAF chief.

Addressing journalists after the meeting, the minister said the accident had reinforced the need for closer cooperation between civil and military aviation authorities, stressing that aviation accidents do not discriminate between civilian and military operators.

He said: “It is one country, one people. When disaster happens, it affects everybody. There were civilians in that air crash and when there’s an air crash in civil aviation too, there can be military personnel. And so, we must cooperate in the area of safety.”

He said the Federal Government would leverage the expertise available in both sectors to improve aviation safety and protect the lives of Nigerians.

According to him, the NAF already depended on some civil aviation infrastructure, particularly air traffic control, making it necessary to expand the existing relationship into a more structured and mutually beneficial partnership.

Keyamo disclosed that he had already contacted the Director-General of Civil Aviation, Chris Najomo, and facilitated direct communication between the NCAA leadership and the Chief of Air Staff.

The minister stated that a joint committee involving the NCAA and the NAF would be established to coordinate collaboration in areas including airworthiness, certification, training and other aviation safety measures.

He stressed that the proposed framework would respect the statutory mandates of the respective institutions while creating room for greater technical cooperation.

Keyamo also offered NAF personnel access to relevant training programmes being undertaken by civil aviation authorities.

“There is no reason we cannot take some names from the Air Force. We have a lot of training we go for, so there is no reason why we cannot,” he said.

The minister noted that the collaboration would not be a one-way arrangement, pointing out that the military also possesses specialised knowledge and experience that could benefit civil aviation.

In his response, Aneke commended the minister for the condolence visit and his support for the Nigerian Air Force, describing the engagement as evidence of the growing relationship between the civil and military aviation sectors.

Aneke noted that discussions had already commenced on a framework that would allow personnel from the civil aviation sector to support the Air Force’s safety environment, particularly in areas of airworthiness and certification.

He added that NAF personnel would also make their expertise available to the civil aviation sector where necessary.

He said: “We have both agreed that we need to move the aviation industry, whether military or civil, to a higher level.

“We are serving the same government; we are protecting the same Nigerians. So, we are just a blend of each other.”

NAF pilot averted bigger disaster before crash, says Aiyedatiwa
MEANWHILE, the Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has said the pilot of the NAF ATR-42 aircraft averted a bigger disaster by manoeuvring the plane away from the community before it went down.

Aiyedatiwa disclosed this yesterday during an on-the-spot assessment of the crash scene.

According to the governor, residents who witnessed the incident said the aircraft appeared to be descending towards the community, accompanied by a sound suggesting an engine problem.

He said the pilot managed to manoeuvre the aircraft away from the community before it crashed into a swamp about 200 metres away.

Aiyedatiwa said only the pilot could explain the effort made to divert the aircraft, adding that a crash in the middle of the community would have resulted in a major catastrophe.

The governor described the crash site as a “very gory sight”, saying parts of bodies, clothes and jackets belonging to Air Force personnel, as well as broken aircraft parts, had been recovered and preserved for further investigation.

He, however, said the main body of the aircraft had yet to be sighted, as it was believed to be submerged in the swamp.

According to him, the difficulty in accessing the site prompted him to direct the Ministry of Works to deploy two amphibious machines to create wider access through the waterways.

Aiyedatiwa said the aircraft had still not been sighted as of the time of his visit, while Navy personnel and local divers continued searching the deeper sections of the area for possible bodies and the cockpit.

Military commanders assess crash site
THE Flag Officer Commanding (FOC), Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Abubakar Mustapha, and the Air Officer Commanding, Logistics Command of the Nigerian Air Force, Air Vice Marshal Abubakar Abdul Suleh, have conducted an on-the-spot assessment of the crash site.

The visit came as recovery and evacuation efforts entered the third day, with the aircraft still submerged deep in the swamp, posing significant challenges to the search and recovery teams.

The delegation was received at the Officers’ Mess of the Forward Operating Base (FOB), Igbokoda, by the Commanding Officer, Navy Captain Andy Alemongwa. Government officials, community leaders, emergency management agencies and other stakeholders were also present to express their condolences and solidarity with the Armed Forces.

Addressing the gathering, Mustapha conveyed the appreciation of the Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, and the Service Chiefs to the Ondo State Government, host communities, emergency agencies and other stakeholders for their support since the incident.

He urged stakeholders to remain calm and continue to cooperate with the agencies involved in the recovery operation.

The FOC also commended Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, as well as Hi-Tech and AUC Construction companies, for providing mechanised equipment to support the recovery efforts.

The delegation, accompanied by selected stakeholders, subsequently travelled by boat to the crash site to assess the situation firsthand.

At the site, the team evaluated the ongoing operation and provided technical guidance aimed at facilitating the recovery of the submerged aircraft and its contents.

As part of the efforts, a side-scan sonar underwater survey was commenced to map the crash location and determine the position of the submerged aircraft.

The survey is expected to assist divers and other technical personnel in locating the aircraft and planning subsequent recovery operations, including excavation in the difficult terrain.

The operation has also been reinforced with Nigerian Navy divers and NAF drone pilots using specialised equipment to conduct searches across the surrounding mangrove and forested areas.

The Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, has deployed the Nigerian Navy Hydrographic Department, equipped with specialised equipment, to obtain a clearer underwater picture of the mapped area due to the high turbidity of the swamp.

Obi pays tribute as Adebayo-Bugaje suspends campaign for one week
PETER Obi, the 2027 presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has visited the Nigerian Air Force facility in Abuja to sign the condolence register for personnel who died in the aircraft crash at Igbokoda, Ondo State.

Obi, a former Anambra State governor, used the visit to pay tribute to members of the Armed Forces and other security agencies who, he said, make daily sacrifices in the service of the country.

He described the loss as a painful reminder of the risks Nigerian military personnel face while defending the nation and protecting citizens.

Obi expressed his condolences to the NAF and the families, colleagues and loved ones of those who died in the crash.

“May God grant eternal rest to the departed and give their families the strength and fortitude to bear this painful loss,” he said.

He also prayed for God’s continued protection for all Nigerians serving the country.

Similarly, the Adebayo-Bugaje Social Democratic Party (SDP) presidential campaign has suspended all national and state campaign activities for one week in honour of the 25 passengers and crew members who died in the crash.

The suspension took effect immediately as a demonstration of solidarity with the NAF and the Armed Forces of Nigeria.

In a statement yesterday, the Head of the Media and Communications Directorate of the campaign, Mark Adebayo, said: “The Adebayo-Bugaje Presidential Campaign is deeply devastated by the heartbreaking news of the NAF aircraft accident in the coastal riverine terrain of Igbokoda. These fallen heroes and civilians gave their all in service to our fatherland. In moments of such monumental national tragedy, politics must take a backseat to national mourning and deep reflection.”

Bayelsa council observes minute’s silence for four citizens killed in crash
THE Bayelsa State Executive Council yesterday observed a minute’s silence in honour of four indigenes of the state who died in the Nigerian Air Force aircraft crash.

The NAF had said 25 passengers and crew died in the crash, including four Bayelsa indigenes identified as Flight Lieutenant Tarila Lazarus from Southern Ijaw Local Council; Sergeant Izibenikien Samuel from Yenagoa; Sergeant Ebimobowei Charles Alafuka from Ekeremor; and Godstime Tarabina from Kolokuma/Opokuma.

Governor Douye Diri, who presided over the 198th meeting of the State Executive Council at the Executive Council Chambers, Government House, Yenagoa, expressed grief over the loss on behalf of the government and people of the state.

In a statement yesterday by his Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Alabrah, the governor said the state had been deeply affected by the tragedy.

Retired naval officer urges investigators to keep all possibilities open
A RETIRED naval officer, Commodore Promise Dapper, has said all possible causes should remain open as investigations continue into the Nigerian Air Force aircraft crash at Igbokoda, Ilaje Local Council Area of Ondo State.

Dapper submitted yesterday during an interview on Channels Television’s Lunchtime Politics, where he said investigators should consider every possibility before concluding the cause of the crash.

He said: “The crash is being investigated, but you cannot rule everything out; all the cards have to be on the table. You cannot rule out sabotage; an air attack; you cannot rule out anything.

“You cannot even rule out bombing because, from what some of the eyewitnesses are saying, they are seeing wreckage splinters of the aircraft while it was still in the air, and most of these splinters are found in far-flung villages and nearby places before the aircraft even got on the ground.”

Ex-DSS director questions mission of crashed aircraft
THE President of the Alumni Association of the National Institute for Security Studies, Mike Ejiofor, has questioned the operational mission of the Nigerian Air Force aircraft that crashed at Igbokoda, Ondo State.

Ejiofor, a former Director of the Department of State Services (DSS), expressed doubts that the aircraft was deployed for reconnaissance, given the number of people reportedly on board, including reports that children were among the passengers.

Speaking on Arise News yesterday, Ejiofor said the number of occupants raised questions about the aircraft’s possible assignment.

“I’m not in the Air Force. I don’t know how they operate, but I very much doubt if it was actually on an operation with that number of people if it’s on reconnaissance,” he said.

“If you have that number of people—I’m not ruling out the possibility—from Lagos to Benin to Lagos are not very serious operational areas, if you are talking of somewhere like Niger, Zamfara, in the North. We can say, yes, maybe they went in for an operation.”

Ejiofor called for a broader investigation into the operations of military aircraft, saying the recurring crashes involving military aircraft had become “one too many”.

On reports of a deafening sound heard before the crash, he cautioned against concluding that an explosion occurred before the aircraft went down.

He said the sound could have been caused by the impact, although the possibility of an explosion before impact could not be ruled out.