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Nigeria has entered a period of national mourning following one of the deadliest air disasters to hit the country in recent years, after a military aircraft crashed in the southern state of Ondo, killing all 32 people on board. President Bola Tinubu announced three days of official mourning and ordered that flags be flown at half-mast across the country as a mark of respect.
According to authorities, the plane was travelling on a routine mission from Benin City to Lagos when it went down near a naval base on Monday morning. The aircraft, identified as an ATR-42, crashed in a swampy area, and a resident who spoke to the BBC described seeing smoke rising from the site, where clothing and shoes were later found scattered among the wreckage.
The aviation minister, Festus Keyamo, said he had been notified that a military aircraft with the tail number NGR 931 had disappeared while en route from Benin to Lagos at 0913 hours. He explained that attempts to contact the aircraft by radio were unsuccessful, and it was only later confirmed that the plane had come down near a naval base in Igbokoda, in Ondo state.
Search and rescue operations were immediately launched in the aftermath of the crash. The identities of those who died have not yet been made public, with authorities stating that the names of the officers will be released only after their families have been notified. The military has not yet commented on the possible cause of the accident.
President Tinubu expressed his deepest condolences to the families of the 25 passengers and seven crew members who lost their lives. In a statement, he described the incident as a painful moment for the country's armed forces and for the entire nation, adding that Nigerian Air Force personnel put their lives on the line every day to secure the country and that their sacrifice would never be forgotten.
The president has directed the Nigerian Air Force to begin a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash, with the aim of preventing similar tragedies in the future. The order reflects growing concern about aviation safety within Nigeria's military, which has suffered several fatal crashes in recent years.
The Nigerian Air Force plays a central role in the country's broader security operations, including efforts to combat armed groups and address insecurity in various regions. The loss of personnel in this crash therefore represents not only a human tragedy but also a significant blow to ongoing military operations across the country.
The ATR-42 aircraft involved in the disaster is a twin-engine turboprop manufactured to carry between 30 and 50 passengers, according to its makers. The plane's relatively modest capacity means that the 32 people on board likely filled a large proportion of its available seats, underscoring the scale of the loss.
This accident ranks among the worst air disasters Nigeria has experienced in recent years. In May 2021, the country's army chief, Lieutenant-General Ibrahim Attahiru, was killed alongside 10 other officers when their plane crashed in the north-western state of Kaduna amid bad weather conditions. That incident shocked the nation and raised questions about the safety of military air travel.
Earlier, in February of the same year, seven people died when a military plane crashed short of a runway in the capital, Abuja. These incidents, taken together with Monday's crash, have drawn attention to the risks faced by military personnel who rely on air transport for operational and logistical purposes.
Military aviation in Nigeria often involves flying into remote or difficult terrain, sometimes under challenging weather conditions, which increases the inherent dangers of such missions. The routine nature of the flight from Benin City to Lagos highlights how even standard operations can end in catastrophe.
Experts have previously called for stricter maintenance protocols, improved pilot training, and more transparent accident investigations within Nigeria's armed forces. While the Air Force has pledged to investigate this latest crash thoroughly, the outcome of that inquiry will be closely watched by both the public and the families of the victims.
The declaration of national mourning is a rare gesture of collective grief in Nigeria. Flags flying at half-mast will serve as a visible reminder of the loss, and the three-day period will allow citizens across the country to reflect on the sacrifices made by military personnel in the course of their duties.
Tributes have begun to pour in from across the country, with many Nigerians expressing sorrow at the scale of the tragedy. The fact that so many lives were lost in a single incident has amplified the sense of shock, particularly given that the flight was described as a routine mission rather than a combat operation.
As authorities continue their search and recovery efforts, attention is now turning to the investigation. Determining what caused the aircraft to disappear from radio contact and crash near the naval base in Igbokoda will be critical — not only for understanding this particular disaster but also for addressing the wider safety concerns that have long shadowed Nigeria's military aviation record.
For the families of the 32 victims, the coming days will bring the painful task of awaiting official confirmation and preparing for funerals, while a nation in mourning confronts yet another reminder of the dangers faced by those who serve in Nigeria's armed forces.
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