The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has constituted a high-level panel comprising military and civilian aviation experts to investigate the crash of its ATR-42 aircraft in Igbokoda, Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State.
The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, disclosed this on Thursday, October 8, 2026, during a visit to the crash site, where recovery operations were ongoing. He said the panel would include aviation safety specialists, representatives of the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), emergency management authorities, retired senior military officers and experienced Air Force personnel.
The aircraft, with registration number NAF 931, crashed on Monday, October 5, while on a routine mission from Benin City to Lagos. The Air Force said 25 people were on board, comprising five crew members and 20 passengers. No survivors were reported.
Aneke urged the public to avoid speculation about the cause of the crash, stressing that investigators must carefully examine the available evidence before reaching any conclusions. He described the incident as a major loss to the military and expressed condolences to the families of the victims.
Recovery efforts have been hampered by the difficult terrain, with thick mangroves, deep mud and murky swamp waters complicating access to the wreckage. Teams are continuing efforts to locate and retrieve the main body of the aircraft and other evidence that could assist the investigation.
The Air Chief also commended the Ondo State Government, security agencies and residents of Igbokoda for supporting the recovery operation, noting that local residents were among the first to respond after the crash.
He assured the bereaved families that the Nigerian Air Force would provide the necessary support and pledged that the investigation would be thorough, with all relevant evidence documented and examined to establish the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.
