The Nigerian Air Force has confirmed that all 25 people aboard its ATR 42 aircraft, NAF 931, died when the plane crashed in the Igbokoda area of Ondo State on Monday.
The confirmation came on Tuesday after search-and-rescue teams recovered the aircraft and worked to account for everyone on board. The NAF said no survivor had been found.
The aircraft was carrying five crew members and 20 passengers on what the Air Force described as a routine mission from Benin to Lagos.
The crash has become a major national tragedy, with President Bola Tinubu declaring three days of national mourning and ordering flags to be flown at half-mast. He has also directed that the circumstances of the crash be investigated.
Who died in the crash?
The NAF identified the five crew members as:
- Squadron Leader MI Aburime, flight captain
- Squadron Leader AP Man-Ugwueje, co-pilot
- Flight Lieutenant IS Bako, co-pilot
- Warrant Officer Abubakar A, aircraft technician
- Corporal Uguru HC, aircraft technician
The 20 passengers were identified as Flight Lieutenant TL Lazarus, Flight Lieutenant M Akinloye, Flying Officer IM Adeshina, Master Warrant Officer Onwuka F, Master Warrant Officer Matini BA, Warrant Officer Nuhu FS, Flight Sergeant James RB, Flight Sergeant Mohammed AI, Sergeant Ani AE, Sergeant Izibenikien SI, Sergeant Alafuka C, Sergeant Mbadugha AN, Lance Corporal Ugwuba FC, Lance Corporal Eledan GE, Mrs Ezeh Nneka, Godstmine Tarabina, Joy Micheal, Sunday Micheal, Ukeme David and Gideon Omotola.
The NAF said it released the names after accounting for those on board.
Also Read: Tinubu Declares Three-Day Mourning After 32 Die in Ondo Air Force Crash https://olokunsmedianetwork.com/2026/10/06/tinubu-declares-three-day-mourning-after-32-die-in-ondo-air-force-crash/
Why the casualty figure changed
The latest NAF figure also resolves an important discrepancy that emerged after Monday’s crash.
Initial information from government officials put the number of people aboard the aircraft at 32. The NAF has now established that the aircraft had 25 people on board — five crew members and 20 passengers.
That correction matters because accurate passenger and crew manifests are central to search-and-rescue operations, identification of victims and notification of their families.
The NAF has not publicly explained why the earlier figure was higher.
What caused the crash?
The cause remains unknown.
The NAF has ordered a comprehensive investigation to establish what happened to NAF 931 before it crashed.
That means claims about mechanical failure, weather, pilot error, loss of control or any other possible cause should not be treated as established fact until investigators publish their findings.
The aircraft lost contact with air traffic control before the crash, according to reporting on the incident. Search teams later located the wreckage near Igbokoda.
The NAF has urged the public and media to avoid speculation and the circulation of unverified information while the investigation continues.
A familiar challenge for the Air Force
The investigation will also face a broader question about aviation safety within the military.
The NAF has experienced several aircraft accidents in recent years.
In February 2021, seven NAF personnel died when a Beechcraft King Air B350i crashed while returning to Abuja after a surveillance mission. The Air Force instituted an investigation into the causes of that crash.
Two pilots died in another NAF aircraft crash at its Kaduna base in April 2022. The Air Force subsequently constituted an Accident Investigation Board.
In August 2023, an NAF MI-171E helicopter crashed in Niger State during a casualty evacuation mission, killing the four NAF crew members and other people aboard.
There have also been non-fatal incidents. In March 2024, two pilots escaped unharmed after a NAF Super Mushshak trainer aircraft was involved in a mishap near Kaduna.
These incidents do not establish a common cause or demonstrate that NAF aircraft are inherently unsafe. They do, however, underline why independent, transparent and technically rigorous accident investigations matter.
Nigerian Air Force ATR-42
NAF has previously promised stronger safety measures
The Air Force has repeatedly acknowledged the importance of preventing aircraft accidents.
At its 2024 Safety Review Board, the NAF said it was working to strengthen safety management, train personnel and improve hazard identification. It said more than 2,500 personnel had received safety-related training and that it had introduced specialised aircraft accident investigation training.
At another safety review meeting in July 2024, then-Chief of the Air Staff Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar called for measures to “break the accident chain” and strengthen safety culture across the service.
The Ondo crash now puts those commitments under renewed scrutiny.
The key question is not simply what caused NAF 931 to crash, but whether previous safety recommendations were implemented and whether lessons from earlier accidents were adequately applied.
What happens next?
The investigation should establish the aircraft’s operational history, maintenance status, flight data, crew actions, weather conditions and other relevant factors.
It should also determine whether any technical, human, organisational or environmental factors contributed to the accident.
Previous NAF investigations show that accident inquiries can produce findings and recommendations. In 2021, for example, the Accident Investigation Bureau submitted an interim report on the King Air B350 accident after a joint investigation with NAF safety officers.
For the families of those killed, however, the immediate priority is identification, mourning and support.
The NAF said the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, has expressed condolences to the families, loved ones and colleagues of the victims.
Aneke described the crash as “a deeply painful moment for the Nigerian Air Force and the nation” and assured the bereaved families of the Service’s full support.
The NAF has also opened a condolence register at its headquarters in Abuja.
But beyond condolences, the investigation will be the most important next step.
The families and the wider public will need clear answers about why NAF 931 crashed, whether anything could have prevented the accident and what measures will be taken to reduce the risk of another tragedy.
The NAF said it will provide further verified information as the investigation progresses.
