A prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member and only son of his parents was among the victims of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) aircraft crash at Igbokoda, Ondo State.
A woman mourning her partner, who died in the crash involving NAF 931, said he had only told her that he was travelling to Abuja without indicating that the journey would be his last.
In a viral video, the woman questioned why her partner left without telling her that he would not return.
Mourning her partner, she said: “It’s Abuja you told me you were going to, you didn’t mention you won’t come back. You left me.’’
Another victim, Ukeme David, was also expected to return home on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, after completing his clearance ahead of his NYSC service.
Ukeme had travelled from Lagos to Benin for his NYSC clearance and planned to return to Lagos on Wednesday. However, a family request changed his plans, prompting him to board the NAF aircraft on Monday, October 5, to return to Lagos and help care for his sister.
He never made it home.
A family member, who spoke to Vanguard on condition of anonymity, said the tragedy was particularly painful because Ukeme had travelled to Benin specifically for his NYSC clearance and was already looking forward to returning to Lagos.
“He was a very intelligent student. He left Benin in the aircraft to come and look after his sister, when his mother was to return this weekend. He had intended to come on Wednesday, but Monday became his last day. He was an only son,” the source said.
The family member also disclosed that another victim was the son of an Air Force personnel, while Flying Officer IM Adeshina was remembered as the best student in his set at the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA).
“For Flying Officer IM Adeshina, he was the best student during his NDA,” the source said.
As families awaited the recovery of their loved ones, concerns remained over the circumstances surrounding the crash.
The family source said there were concerns about the weather conditions in the area at the time of the incident, although the cause of the crash had not been established.
“We are suspecting weather because information in the area said the weather was not too good. But that is not our concern. Our immediate concern now is to get their corpses and those of others for burial,” the source said.
Military begins sonar survey
As part of efforts to recover the aircraft and its occupants, an underwater survey using side-scan sonar equipment began mapping the crash site to establish the location of the submerged aircraft.
The sonar operation is expected to help divers and other technical personnel identify the aircraft’s exact position and enable the search and rescue team to plan subsequent recovery efforts, including the deployment of a swamp buggy to assist excavation in the difficult terrain.
Nigerian Navy divers and NAF drone pilots have also been deployed with specialised equipment to conduct searches across the surrounding mangrove and forested areas.
The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, deployed the Nigerian Navy Hydrographic Department with sonar scanning equipment to obtain a clearer underwater picture of the area because of the turbidity of the swamp.
The effort is in addition to ongoing operations by the Nigerian Navy Air Arm.
The development followed an assessment visit to the crash site by the Flag Officer Commanding, Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Abubakar Abdullahi Mustapha, and the Air Officer Commanding, Logistics Command, Nigerian Air Force, Air Vice Marshal Abubakar Abdul Suleh.
The officials visited the site of the NAF ATR-42 aircraft with tail number NAF 931, which crashed in the area.
The delegation was received at the Officers’ Mess of the Forward Operating Base, Igbokoda, by the Commanding Officer, Navy Captain Andy Alemongwa.
Government officials, community leaders, emergency management agencies and other stakeholders gathered at the base to express condolences and support for the Armed Forces.
Those present included the chairman of Ilaje Local Government Area, the commissioners for health and environment, representatives of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Nigerian Red Cross Society and National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), as well as personnel from other security agencies.
Rear Admiral Mustapha conveyed the appreciation of the Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, and the service chiefs to the Ondo State Government, local communities, emergency agencies and other stakeholders for their support since the incident.
He urged stakeholders to remain calm and continue cooperating with agencies involved in the recovery operation.
The FOC also appreciated Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, as well as Hi-Tech and AUC Construction companies, for providing mechanised equipment to support the recovery efforts.
The delegation later travelled by boat to the crash site with selected stakeholders to assess the ongoing operation.
They evaluated the situation and provided technical guidance aimed at facilitating the timely recovery of the submerged aircraft and its contents.
The team subsequently visited the swamp buggy launching point, where Rear Admiral Mustapha interacted with the technical crew and encouraged them to intensify efforts to complete the recovery operation promptly.
Peter Obi visits NAF headquarters
In a related development, presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, visited the Nigerian Air Force facility in Abuja to sign the condolence register for personnel who died in the crash.
Obi described the deaths as a painful loss to the nation and praised the courage and dedication of members of the Armed Forces and other security agencies.
In a post shared on his official X account, he said: “The visit gave me another opportunity to reflect on the sacrifices made daily by the men and women of our Armed Forces and other security agencies in the line of duty.
“These courageous Nigerians put their lives on the line to defend our nation and protect our people. We must never take their service and sacrifice for granted,” he wrote.
The former Anambra State governor also extended his condolences to the Nigerian Air Force and the families, colleagues and loved ones of the deceased personnel.
“I extend my deepest condolences to the Nigerian Air Force and to the families, colleagues, and loved ones of those who lost their lives,” Obi said.
Praying for the victims, he said: “May God grant eternal rest to the departed and give their families the strength and fortitude to bear this painful loss.”
He also prayed for security personnel serving across the country, saying “May God continue to protect all those who serve our country.”
Keyamo, CAS agree to strengthen civil-military aviation safety cooperation
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, also met with the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, over the longstanding separation between civil and military aviation.
Following the meeting, both officials agreed to deepen cooperation between the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the Nigerian Air Force in aviation safety, airworthiness, certification, training and capacity building.
The agreement was reached during Keyamo’s condolence visit to the Chief of Air Staff following Monday’s NAF aircraft crash at Igbokoda.
Keyamo expressed sympathy to the Nigerian Air Force and described the incident as a national tragedy, while commending the courage and sacrifices of Air Force personnel.
“We value the Air Force. We value the efforts of the gallant men and women of the Air Force and what they do for the country,” he said.
The minister stressed that aviation tragedies affected both military and civilian operators, adding that the two sectors served the same country and protected the same citizens.
“It is one country, one people. When disaster happens, it affects everybody. There were civilians in that air crash and when there’s an air crash in the civil aviation too, there can be military personnel. And so, it is important we cooperate in the area of safety,” Keyamo said.
He noted that the Nigerian Air Force already relied on civil aviation infrastructure, particularly air traffic control, and said the existing relationship should be expanded into a more structured partnership.
The minister added that he had contacted the Director-General of the NCAA and facilitated direct communication between the NCAA leadership and the Chief of Air Staff.
“We have decided that we will cooperate in terms of capacity building,” he said.
Keyamo announced plans to establish a joint committee involving the NCAA and the Nigerian Air Force to facilitate cooperation in airworthiness, certification, training and other aviation safety measures, while respecting the statutory responsibilities of both institutions.
He also assured the Chief of Air Staff that NAF personnel would have access to relevant training programmes organised by civil aviation authorities.
“There is no reason we cannot take some names from the Air Force. We have a lot of training we go for, so there is no reason we cannot,” he said.
Keyamo also acknowledged the specialised expertise of the Nigerian Air Force, saying it could benefit the civil aviation sector through the exchange of knowledge and experience.
“This is a kind of cross-pollination and symbiotic relationship we have decided to build for the safety of the lives of Nigerians,” Keyamo stated.
Responding, Air Marshal Aneke thanked the minister for the condolence visit and his continued support for the Nigerian Air Force.
He described the gesture as evidence of the strong relationship developing between the civil and military aviation sectors.
The Chief of Air Staff said both institutions had already begun discussions on a framework that would allow civil aviation personnel to contribute to the Air Force’s safety operations, particularly in airworthiness and certification, while NAF personnel would also provide their expertise to the civil aviation sector when required.
“We have both agreed that we need to move the aviation industry, whether military or civil, to a higher level,” Air Marshal Aneke said.
He welcomed the offer of training opportunities for Air Force personnel, saying the initiative would strengthen capacity and improve aviation safety across the country.
Emphasising the shared responsibility of both institutions to protect Nigerian lives, the air chief said: “We are serving the same government; we are protecting the same Nigerians. So we are just a blend of each other.’’
The new partnership is expected to enhance information sharing, technical cooperation, professional training and safety collaboration between Nigeria’s civil and military aviation authorities.