Thirty-two people are feared dead after a Nigerian military aircraft crashed near the Naval Base in Igbokoda, Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, on Monday.
The aircraft, identified as an ATR-42 with tail number NGR 931, was travelling from Benin to Lagos when air traffic controllers reportedly lost contact with it at about 9:13 a.m. The wreckage was later located near the Naval Base in Igbokoda, prompting an immediate search-and-rescue operation.
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, confirmed that 25 passengers and seven crew members were aboard the aircraft, bringing the total number of people on board to 32.
In a statement, Keyamo said efforts to re-establish communication with the aircraft proved unsuccessful before authorities received confirmation that it had crashed. He added that the wreckage had been located and that search-and-rescue operations were ongoing.
However, sources cited by SaharaReporters said all 32 people on board were believed to have died in the crash. The reported death toll had not been officially confirmed by the Nigerian Air Force or other relevant authorities at the time of filing this report.
The Nigerian Air Force identified the aircraft as an ATR-42 and said it was on a routine mission to Lagos. Reports indicate that the crash occurred in a swampy area around Igbokoda, with emergency responders and security agencies mobilised to the scene.
The Ondo State Government has also directed relevant agencies, including the State Emergency Management Agency and health authorities, to support the ongoing rescue operation and secure the crash site.
Authorities have urged residents around Igbokoda and neighbouring communities to remain calm and avoid spreading unverified information while the rescue operation continues and further details emerge.
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