Tragedy As 32 Nigerian Officials Die in Single Helicopter Crash; President Declares 3-Day Mourning
- President Bola Tinubu declared a three-day national mourning and ordered flags flown at half-mast after a Nigerian Air Force aircraft crashed in Ondo State
- The ATR-42 turboprop went down near Igbokoda shortly after 9:00 am while on a routine mission from Benin City to Lagos
- All 32 people on board, including 25 passengers and seven crew members, according to the presidency, perished in the crash
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President Bola Tinubu has declared three days of national mourning following the crash of a Nigerian Air Force aircraft in Ondo State that claimed all 32 lives on board.
Source: UGC
The ATR-42 twin-engine turboprop was conducting what the Air Force described as a routine mission from Benin City to Lagos when it went down near Igbokoda, in the oil-producing Ilaje region of Ondo State, shortly after 9:00 am on Monday, October 5, 2026.
A military source confirmed to Channels Television that none of the 25 passengers and seven crew members survived.
In a statement released by presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu ordered flags to be flown at half-mast across the country and extended his condolences to the families of those on board, the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, and the broader Nigerian Air Force.
"This is a painful moment for our Armed Forces and for the entire nation. Our Air Force personnel put their lives on the line every day to secure Nigeria. Their sacrifice will never be forgotten," the president said.
He also directed the Nigerian Air Force to launch a thorough investigation into the cause of the crash to prevent a similar tragedy in future, and praised the swift response of first responders and the Ondo State Government at the crash site.
The Air Force said it would release the names of the victims only after their next of kin had been formally notified.
Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo had earlier noted on X that the plane came down near a naval base.
The ATR-42 is a turboprop aircraft manufactured to carry between 30 and 50 passengers.
The Facebook post below provides further details about the 32 military officials who died in the aircraft crash.
Local resident recalls hearing the crash
Dayo Akinte, a 39-year-old firewood hawker who lives roughly a kilometre from the crash site, said she initially mistook the sound of the impact for thunder.
Speaking to AFP by phone, she added that since the crash, at least three aircraft had been seen flying over the scene.
It was a fisherman in the surrounding swamp who first alerted the nearby naval base and residents to what had happened.
A video circulating on social media showed a small crowd gathered along a riverbank as rescuers conducted a search of the area by boat.
"I commend the Nigerian Air Force for activating an immediate Search and Rescue operation following the accident. I pray for the repose of the souls of the gallant officers and for Almighty God to grant their families and the Nigerian Air Force the fortitude to bear the unfortunate loss," Tinubu said.
Source: UGC
Bestselling author Lord Jeffrey Archer confirmed dead
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that Lord Jeffrey Archer, one of Britain's most celebrated novelists and a prominent Conservative politician, died suddenly and peacefully at home on Monday, October 5, 2026, at the age of 86.
His publisher, HarperCollins, confirmed the news.
His final novel, *Adam and Eve*, was scheduled for publication on Tuesday, October 6, 2026.
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Source: YEN.com.gh
