Nigerian Air Force ATR 42 Crashes in Ondo State, Killing All 32 Aboard

A Nigerian Air Force ATR 42 crashed near Igbokoda in Ondo State on October 5, 2026, killing all 32 people on board. The aircraft, reported with the tail number NGR 931, was flying from Benin to Lagos.

The Air Force’s Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, said the aircraft “was on a routine mission from Benin to Lagos when the accident occurred,” according to Daily Trust.

What is confirmed so far

Twenty-five passengers and seven crew were aboard, and none survived, according to a statement from President Bola Tinubu’s office. Spokesperson Bayo Onanuga released it, as reported by Legit.ng.

Air traffic controllers lost contact at about 9:13 a.m. local time, AeroTime reported, and the wreckage was found near a naval base in the swampy coastal Ilaje area. Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo said efforts to raise the aircraft on the radio “proved abortive,” per Within Nigeria.

Tinubu declared three days of national mourning and ordered flags flown at half-staff, AFP reported. The Air Force will release the victims’ names after notifying families.

The Ondo State Police Command also confirmed the crash, per AeroTime. Within Nigeria says Keyamo spoke with Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke and pledged the ministry’s cooperation.

Who investigates, and the aircraft

Because the aircraft is a military asset, the investigation falls to the Air Force, not Nigeria’s civilian Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB). The bureau said its Flight Safety Laboratory can analyze flight data and cockpit voice recordings if the Air Force asks, Legit.ng reported.

The ATR 42, built by ATR, is a twin-engine turboprop that its maker says carries between 30 and 50 passengers, AFP noted. Within Nigeria describes this aircraft as serving in intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance and maritime operations, though the Air Force has not said whether that role was in use on this flight.

Earlier Nigerian Air Force accidents

AFP ranked this among Nigeria’s worst recent air disasters. In May 2021, a Nigerian Air Force Beechcraft King Air 350i crashed near Kaduna while attempting to land in poor weather, killing all 11 aboard, including Army chief Ibrahim Attahiru.

In February 2021, Al Jazeera reported seven killed when a military aircraft crashed on approach to Abuja airport.

For a turboprop accident that drew a lengthy official inquiry, see our look at Brazil’s Voepass final report. That was a different ATR model, a different operator and a civil investigation, so it says nothing about the cause here.