Nigeria: Air Force ATR 42 crashes in Igbokoda, all 32 on board presumed dead

A Nigerian Air Force ATR 42 transport aircraft crashed on October 5, 2026, near Igbokoda in Ondo State, southwestern Nigeria, with 32 people on board. All are presumed dead, according to a statement from the Nigerian presidency reported by Premium Times.

The aircraft, registration number NGR 931, was on a routine mission between Benin City and Lagos. Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo stated that air traffic controllers lost radio contact at 9:13 a.m. local time, and preliminary information indicated there were 25 passengers and 7 crew members. The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, was informed during the morning.

A crash in the Ilaje marshlands

The wreckage was located in a marshy area of the Ilaje constituency, near a naval base. "Bodies are currently being recovered," said Michael Achimugu, Director of Public Affairs for the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, as quoted by News Central. Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, spokesperson for the Nigerian Air Force, confirmed that a search and rescue operation has been launched in coordination with emergency agencies.

The terrain, which is flooded and difficult to access, is complicating the teams' work. No cause has been suggested at this stage by the authorities, who describe it as a "routine flight." The Air Force has not released the list of victims.

Tinubu orders an investigation

President Bola Tinubu responded through his spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga. He described it as "a painful moment for our armed forces and for the entire nation" and has ordered the Air Force to conduct a thorough investigation into the causes of the accident, according to Premium Times.

The ATR 42 is a twin-turboprop regional transport aircraft used by several militaries on the continent for personnel transport. Nigerian military air assets have been heavily utilized for years in operations against armed groups in the northeast and center of the country, which regularly raises questions regarding the maintenance and renewal of the fleets.

The challenge for both the families and the military institution is now the transparency of the investigation: in Nigeria, as elsewhere on the continent, the findings of military air accident commissions are rarely made public. Story Africa will follow the release of the final death toll and the initial technical findings.