Nigerian Air Force ATR-42 Aircraft Crash — October 2026

On Monday, 5 October 2026, a Nigerian Air Force ATR-42 aircraft, NAF 931, crashed in a swampy area around Igbokoda, Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, close to a Nigerian Naval Base. The aircraft was travelling from Benin City to Lagos on what the Nigerian Air Force described as a routine mission.

The Flight Captain of the Nigerian Air Force ATR-42, NAF 931, was:

Squadron Leader M. I. Aburime — Flight Captain.

The aircraft also had two co-pilots:

• Squadron Leader A. P. Man-Ugwueje
• Flight Lieutenant I. S. Bako

The Nigerian Air Force listed these among the five crew members who died in the 5 October 2026 crash at Igbokoda, Ondo State.

There are also reports identifying Squadron Leader Aham/Ahamefule Man-Ugwueje as the officer who was flying the aircraft at the time, but the official NAF casualty list identifies M. I. Aburime as Flight Captain and A. P. Man-Ugwueje as co-pilot.

The aircraft disappeared from air-traffic-control contact at approximately 9:13 a.m. The wreckage was subsequently located near Igbokoda, and search-and-rescue operations were immediately launched.

Casualties: The Nigerian Air Force later confirmed that 25 people were aboard—20 passengers and five crew members—and that there were no survivors. Earlier preliminary information from the Ministry of Aviation had stated 25 passengers and seven crew members, making 32 people, but the Air Force subsequently revised the figure to 25.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu declared three days of national mourning and ordered flags to be flown at half-mast. He also directed the Nigerian Air Force to conduct a thorough investigation into the cause of the crash.

As of 8 October 2026, recovery operations were still continuing. Divers, naval personnel, emergency responders and other teams were using equipment including side-scan sonar to locate and recover the submerged aircraft. Reports indicate that human remains and aircraft fragments had been recovered, while the main body of the aircraft remained difficult to locate in the swamp.

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