Two amphibious excavators, known as swamp buggies, have entered the creeks of Igbokoda in Ilaje Local Council Area of Ondo State to locate and recover the submerged wreckage of a Nigerian Air Force aircraft.
Technical personnel equipped with special detection devices accompanied the heavy machinery to the site. Responders face difficulties navigating the scene due to murky waters and dense vegetation.
The Nigerian Air Force, as earlier reported by NewDailyPrime, confirmed that all 25 people on board died when the ATR-42 aircraft crashed on Monday during a routine flight from Benin to Lagos. No survivors were found.
NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, released the names of the five crew members and 20 passengers in a statement.
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The flight captain was Squadron Leader MI Aburime, assisted by co-pilots Squadron Leader AP Man-Ugwueje and Flight Lieutenant I.S. Bako. Technical crew members Warrant Officer Abubakar A and Corporal Uguru H.C. also died.
NewDailyPrime had earlier published the list of military personnel who died as passengers. These included: Flight Lieutenant T.L. Lazarus, Flight Lieutenant M. Akinloye, Flying Officer I.M. Adeshina, Master Warrant Officer Onwuka F., Master Warrant Officer Matini B.A., Warrant Officer Nuhu F.S., Flight Sergeant James R.B., Flight Sergeant Mohammed A.I., Sergeant Ani A.E., Sergeant Izibenikien S.I., Sergeant Alafuka C., Sergeant Mbadugha A.N., Lance Corporal Ugwuba F.C., and Lance Corporal Eledan G.E.
Six civilian passengers also lost their lives in the crash: Mrs Ezeh Nneka, Godstmine Tarabina, Joy Micheal, Sunday Micheal, Ukeme David, and Gideon Omotola.
Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, ordered a full investigation into the cause of the crash. Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, promised that state agencies will assist with the recovery effort.
National summit suspended and tributes flow
Following the tragedy, the Senate suspended its planned National Security Summit. The two-day event, earlier set for 12 and 13 October, 2026, was put off indefinitely to honour the dead personnel.
Senate Leader and Chairman of the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on the National Security Summit, Opeyemi Bamidele, announced the decision.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ordered a three-day national mourning period and directed that flags fly at half-mast nationwide.
Military leaders sent messages of sympathy to the Air Force chief. Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, expressed solidarity on behalf of the Nigerian Army. Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, also sent condolences from the Nigerian Navy.
Foreign nations and international bodies joined in mourning the victims. The United States Mission in Nigeria noted that its condolences reflected the ongoing security partnership between both nations.
The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through its embassy in Abuja, sent sympathies to the families and the country. Canadian charity organisation, the Displaced Children Foundation Canada, through its founders Joseph and Karen Ogezi, offered prayers for the grieving families.
Calls for aircraft maintenance inquiry
The Christian Association of Nigeria and the African Democratic Congress called for a clear and open investigation into the accident.
CAN President, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, urged the Federal Government to take action on any safety suggestions that come out of the panel.
The African Democratic Congress raised questions about money spent on military aircraft repairs. ADC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, shared data showing that by December 2025, the government had released N4.5 billion out of N34.71 billion budgeted for Air Force aircraft repairs, representing 13.98 per cent.
Abdullahi pointed out that over the same period, the Presidential Air Fleet received N20.27 billion of its N20.74 billion maintenance allocation, representing 97.76 per cent.
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