A young Nigerian Air Force officer, Flying Officer IM Adeshina, has died in the military aircraft crash in Igbokoda, Ondo State, barely nine days after he was celebrated as the Best Graduating Cadet of Branch Commission Course 3.
Adeshina was among the 25 people who died when Nigerian Air Force aircraft NAF 931, an ATR-42, crashed in the Igbokoda area of Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State on Monday, October 5, 2026. The aircraft was on a routine mission from Benin City to Lagos when the accident occurred.
The young officer was commissioned into the Nigerian Air Force as a flying officer on September 26, 2026, after emerging as the best graduating cadet of his course. At the commissioning ceremony, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, was pictured presenting him with a plaque in recognition of his outstanding performance.
However, just nine days later, his promising military career was cut short by the fatal aircraft crash. The Nigerian Air Force confirmed that all 25 people on board, comprising five crew members and 20 passengers, died in the incident. Search-and-rescue operations were activated after the crash, but no survivors were found.
The tragedy has prompted widespread mourning, with tributes pouring in for Adeshina and the other victims. President Bola Tinubu has declared three days of national mourning and ordered a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash.
The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, described the incident as a deeply painful moment for the Nigerian Air Force and the nation, while assuring the families of the victims of the service’s support. He also directed a comprehensive investigation into the cause of the accident.
