A military aircraft that crashed on Monday had disappeared from radar shortly after take-off, according to a senior Air Traffic Controller familiar with the aircraft’s final journey.

The aircraft, with tail number NGR 931, was travelling from Benin City, the Edo State capital, to Lagos when air traffic controllers lost contact with it at about 9:13am, before it crashed into a swamp in Igbokoda, the headquarters of Ilaje Local Government Area in Ondo State.

The senior Air Traffic Controller, who spoke with our correspondent on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to comment on the matter, said communication with the aircraft was established shortly after it took off, but contact was subsequently lost, with efforts to reconnect proving unsuccessful.

“I must tell you that this is looking somehow shoddy. When the aircraft took off, we were in touch with it shortly afterward, but it disappeared from the radar. Efforts to reach it were unsuccessful,” the source said.

According to the source, personnel at the closest reporting points in Okitipupa later reported hearing a loud bang believed to have been the sound of the crash.

The source said the military immediately commenced search-and-rescue efforts after it was reported that the aircraft had disappeared from radar.

The source, however, stressed that the ongoing search-and-rescue operation would provide more information about what happened.

“But it was strange. Almost immediately after it took off, we lost communication with it. There was no communication, nothing. And that makes it suspicious. The aircraft just vanished until the crash.

“Even as we speak, the search-and-rescue operation is still ongoing, and when that is concluded, I should be able to get more information,” the source said.

While describing the loss of communication as suspicious, the source said the circumstances surrounding the crash would become clearer as rescue and recovery operations progress.

“The loss of communication is very suspicious, but God will help us anyway. It is very possible for us to get clearer information as things unfold,” the source added.

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, also disclosed that air traffic controllers had informed him of the disappearance of the aircraft.

“I regret to inform the general public that Air Traffic Controllers have informed me of the disappearance of a military aircraft with tail number NGR 931, enroute Lagos from Benin at 0913 hours earlier today. All efforts to raise the aircraft on radio proved abortive,” Keyamo said.

He later confirmed that the wreckage had been located close to the Naval Base in Igbokoda.

“Subsequently, information, however, confirmed that the military aircraft had crashed close to the Naval Base in Igbokoda, Ondo State. The wreckage has been located, and search and rescue operations are ongoing,” he said.

Keyamo said 32 people, comprising 25 passengers and seven crew members, were on board the aircraft.

However, as of the time of filing this report, it could not be independently ascertained if lives were lost in the crash.

However, as of the time of filing this report, military personnel and emergency responders had intensified efforts to recover victims and locate the black box of the ill-fated NAF ATR-42 aircraft.

The PUNCH gathered that local fishermen joined the rescue operation as authorities struggled to access the wreckage.

The Nigerian Air Force noted that the aircraft was on a routine mission from Benin to Lagos when the accident occurred. The identities and condition of those on board were yet to be officially disclosed as of the time of filing this report.

The aircraft was said to have crashed into a swampy area within the creek, making access to the wreckage difficult and slowing the rescue operation.

Military officers from a nearby base were leading the rescue operation, while local fishermen also assisted efforts to access the wreckage.

An eyewitness told The PUNCH, “I could see the military men in the area while some local fishermen too were helping out, but it seems difficult to remove the wreckage because the plane forcefully entered into the swampy area.”

Another resident, who identified himself simply as Sola, said the crash occurred while it was drizzling.

Sola said, “It happened this (Monday) morning, when it was drizzling. We heard a very loud sound at the area where the incident happened, but we couldn’t get there because the place is a swampy area inside the creek. We were just looking at it from afar.

“However, the police and the military people later came around for rescue, but the occupants of the aircraft may have died inside because up till this time I’m speaking with you, nobody has been removed from there, dead or alive. Initially, we thought it was a helicopter, but later we learnt that it is an aircraft.”

NAF reacts

The Nigerian Air Force, in a statement issued by its Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, said it had activated an immediate search-and-rescue operation.

The statement partly read, “The NAF has activated an immediate Search and Rescue operation following an ATR-42 aircraft accident in the Igbokoda area of Ondo State on 5 October 2026.

“The aircraft was on a routine mission from Benin to Lagos when the accident occurred. Search and Rescue operations, in coordination with relevant authorities and emergency response agencies, are currently ongoing.

“The NAF is committed to ensuring the success of the ongoing Search and Rescue efforts. Further details will be communicated in due course.”

Police begin investigation

The police confirmed that an investigation into the incident had commenced.

The Police Public Relations Officer in Ondo State, DSP Abayomi Jimoh, said, “The Ondo State Police Command confirms the reported aircraft crash in the Igbokoda axis of Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State on Monday, 5th October 2026. Details surrounding the incident are still emerging, as efforts to establish the full circumstances continue.”

Jimoh urged residents of Igbokoda and adjoining communities to remain calm and refrain from circulating unverified information.

“The public will be duly informed as soon as further credible information becomes available,” he stated.

The monarch of Igbokoda, Oba Afolabi Odidiomo, described the incident as unfortunate and said he had directed palace officials to visit the crash site after receiving news of the incident.

“I was in court when the incident happened, and I directed some of my palace officials to visit the site. At that time, nobody could determine whether it was an aircraft or a helicopter.

“I was worried because it must not be a plane, because the number of casualties would be just too high. Our first thanks to Almighty God is that it did not happen inside the town; otherwise, the casualties would have been too many.

“The aircraft crashed into the river and a swampy area. It was raining when the incident happened, and the place was waterlogged. The aircraft did not catch fire, but a substantial part of it has gone into the water. We cannot describe the exact situation for now, but from my investigation and what we have gathered so far, there was no survivor.”

No survivor — Aiyedatiwa

The Governor of Ondo State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, also expressed sadness over the crash and said his administration had activated relevant state agencies to support the ongoing search-and-rescue operation.

In a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Ebenezer Adeniyan, the governor said he had been in contact with the leadership of the Nigerian Air Force, the Chairman of Ilaje Local Government Area, Maurice Oripelaye, and security agencies at the scene.

“The governor has received with deep sadness the news of the crash of a Nigerian Air Force aircraft in Igbokoda, headquarters of Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, in the early hours of today, Monday, October 5, 2026.

“On behalf of the government and good people of Ondo State, Governor Aiyedatiwa expresses his heartfelt sympathy to the Chief of Air Staff, the entire Nigerian Air Force family, and the families of all personnel and passengers on board the ill-fated aircraft. Our thoughts and prayers are with them at this difficult time.

“The governor has been in contact with the leadership of the Nigerian Air Force, the Ilaje Local Government Chairman, Maurice Oripelaye, and security agencies on the ground.”

The governor also said no survivor had been found following the crash.

In an interview on Channels Television, the governor said the information about the crash reached him at about 10.30am after the chairman of the local government contacted him.

“When they noticed that it’s just an accident, they didn’t see any sign of fire. So, they moved in, trying to see if they could rescue the people.

“But from the information we got, no single life was saved up to this moment. They could not see any living soul that was in that aircraft. But they saw the ruins, some of the wreckage from the wings of the aircraft, you know, some ID cards, I was told, and then uniforms. That was when they knew it was a military aircraft,” he said.

The governor described the incident as a painful development, particularly because it occurred in his home state and local government.

Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu has expressed sadness over the crash and directed the Nigerian Air Force to immediately commence a thorough investigation into its cause.

In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the President said the aircraft was on a routine mission from Benin to Lagos when it crashed near a naval base in Igbokoda.

Tinubu extended his condolences to the families of the 25 passengers and seven crew members involved, as well as the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Kelvin Aneke, and the entire Nigerian Air Force.

He stated, “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 Chief of Air Staff has briefed me, and I have directed the Nigerian Air Force to immediately commence a thorough investigation into the cause of the crash to prevent future occurrences.

“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.

“I assure the Nigerian Air Force of the continued support of our administration as they continue their vital role in securing our nation. I also commend the swift response of first responders and the Ondo State Government at the crash site.”

As the rescue operation continues, attention is also turning to the aircraft’s flight recorders, commonly known as the black box, which had yet to be recovered as of the time of filing this report.

The recorder could provide investigators with vital information about the aircraft’s final moments, including its flight parameters and cockpit communications.

The National Safety Investigation Bureau has indicated its readiness to assist with the recovery and analysis of the flight recorders if requested by the military.

The black box, together with the wreckage, air traffic control records, weather data, maintenance documents and eyewitness accounts, is expected to form part of the evidence required to establish what led to the crash.

Some witnesses claimed that the aircraft circled a few times before plunging as the rain increased. The account has not been independently verified and has not been confirmed by the NAF.

The weather conditions are expected to form part of the investigation, alongside the aircraft’s maintenance history, technical condition, flight path, and communication with air traffic controllers and the actions of the crew.

The crash has also attracted attention because Igbokoda is a coastal, oil-producing community in Ilaje LG, where aircraft are commonly used for offshore and oil-related operations.

The presence of aircraft in the area initially contributed to uncertainty over the type of aircraft involved, with some residents describing the incident as a helicopter crash.

However, NAF has confirmed that the aircraft was an ATR-42 fixed-wing military aircraft. There is no official information linking the aircraft to an oil-related operation.

For now, military personnel, police officers, emergency responders and local fishermen remain at the crash site, working through the difficult swampy terrain to recover victims and secure the wreckage.

The cause of the crash and the condition of those on board remain officially unconfirmed, while the search for the flight recorder and the investigation into the accident continue. (PUNCH)

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