Ondo Crash: NAF Constitutes Board of Inquiry as FG Moves to Strengthen Aviation Safety

The Nigerian Air Force has constituted a board of inquiry to determine the cause of the military aircraft crash that occurred in Igbokoda, a swampy area of Ondo State, as recovery operations continue amid difficult terrain.

A military source confirmed that the board, traditionally chaired by the Superintendent of Standards and Evaluation, was activated immediately after the crash.

“A board of inquiry has been set up. Immediately after an aircraft crashes, we activated the board of specialists. The Superintendent of Standards and Evaluation is automatically the chairman. It is a permanent appointment. They have to be on the ground as they are recovering those things, because part of the recovery process forms part of the investigation,” the official said.

Recovery hampered by terrain

The source said recovery crews were facing hurdles at the crash site due to dense vegetation and the swampy terrain. A private construction firm provided specialised floating heavy equipment to clear thick vegetation before recovery teams could access and extract the aircraft’s fuselage.

“I don’t think they’ve recovered all the bodies yet. The aircraft is deeply submerged in the swamp, and we are currently clearing the area. A construction company brought a floating buggy. That is what is clearing that path.

“Until we clear that part, we can look for what to use to lift the fuselage out of that swamp. It is going to take time before we can recover the bodies. The clearing operations remain ongoing,” the source added.

The source dismissed claims that the aircraft was outdated, clarifying that it was a relatively modern acquisition delivered around 2010 and properly maintained.

NAF explains casualty figures

NAF spokesman Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame said a comprehensive investigation was already underway under the direct order of the Chief of Air Staff. He explained that the service relies on established aircraft investigation protocols rather than ad hoc panels, adding that official findings would be made public once the preliminary report is concluded.

“The most important thing is that the Chief of Air Staff has directed a comprehensive investigation and the outcome will be communicated. Whether it’s a board, committee, or a one-man army,” he said.

On the conflicting casualty figures circulating online, Ejodame explained that air traffic control terminology caused public confusion.

“For air traffic controllers, when they communicate ‘25 souls on board inclusive of seven crew’, it is minus the seven. The seven is in the 25. It doesn’t mean you add.

“In this case, there were 25 souls on board: five were active crew, then two were passengers, but they are crew. So, there are seven crew on board reported, but only five were flying at that time. The other two were on board as passengers.”

Governor visits crash site

Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa visited the scene on Wednesday, 72 hours after the incident, and ordered that search and recovery operations continue. He described the crash as a national tragedy and said no survivor had been found.

The governor visited alongside personnel of the Nigerian Navy and Air Force, divers, the National Emergency Management Agency Director for the South-West, the State Emergency Management Agency Director, and residents who had participated in rescue efforts since Monday.

He described the scene as a “very gory sight”, with body parts, clothes, possessions of the victims and broken aircraft parts recovered and preserved for further investigation.

“The main body of the aircraft has not been sighted, because it has been submerged in the swamp,” he said.

Aiyedatiwa said he had directed the Ministry of Works to deploy two amphibious machines, popularly known as swamp buggies, to open wider access through the waterways.

“The machines have enabled rescue teams to move bigger boats closer to the crash site and are being used to excavate the swamp in search of other parts of the wreckage or the main body of the aircraft,” he noted.

Navy deploys sonar equipment

The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, ordered the deployment of the Nigerian Navy Hydrographic Department’s sonar scan equipment to the crash site. The sonar was deployed to obtain a clear underwater picture of the mapped area due to the turbidity of the swamp.

The Flag Officer Commanding, Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Abubakar Mustapha, disclosed this during an assessment visit on Tuesday. He encouraged the technical crew and recovery team to intensify efforts towards prompt execution of the operation, which involved collaboration by military formations, emergency response agencies, security organisations and technical personnel.

FG plans safety reforms

The crash has prompted a fresh push for closer cooperation between Nigeria’s civil and military aviation authorities. The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, and the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, agreed to deepen knowledge sharing and safety collaboration during a condolence visit on Wednesday.

According to a statement by the minister’s media aide, Tunde Moshood, Keyamo expressed sympathy to the Air Force, describing the incident as a national tragedy and commending the courage and sacrifice of personnel.

“We value the Air Force. We value the efforts of the gallant men and women of the Air Force and what they do for the country,” the minister said.

He said the incident underscored the need to bridge the traditional divide between civil and military aviation, noting that accidents do not distinguish between the two sectors. The Air Force already uses parts of the country’s civil aviation infrastructure, including air traffic control, he added.

Keyamo disclosed that he had contacted the Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority and facilitated direct communication between the agency and the Chief of Air Staff.

“It is one country, one people. When disaster happens, it affects everybody. There were civilians in that air crash, and when there’s an air crash in civil aviation too, there can be military personnel. And so, it is important that we cooperate in the area of safety.

“We have decided that we will cooperate in terms of capacity building,” he said.

A joint committee involving the NCAA and NAF will be established to promote cooperation in airworthiness, certification, training and other aviation safety areas, while respecting the statutory responsibilities of both institutions.

Keyamo also offered Air Force personnel access to relevant training programmes organised by civil aviation authorities.

“There is no reason why we cannot take some names from the Air Force. We have a lot of training we go for, so there is no reason why we cannot,” he said.

He said the partnership would not be one-sided, stressing that the Air Force also possesses specialised expertise that could strengthen the civil aviation sector.

“This is a kind of cross-pollination and symbiotic relationship we have decided to build for the safety of the lives of Nigerians,” he stated.

Aneke thanked the minister for the condolence visit and his support for the Air Force.

“We have both agreed that we need to move the aviation industry, whether military or civil, to a higher level. We are serving the same government; we are protecting the same Nigerians. So we are just a blend of each other,” he said.

Call for broader investigation

The President of the Alumni Association of the National Institute for Security Studies, Mike Ejiofor, has called for a broader investigation into the operations, maintenance and condition of Nigeria’s military aircraft.

Ejiofor, a former Director of the Department of State Services, made the call during an interview on Arise News on Wednesday, saying the frequency of military aircraft crashes had become a cause for concern.

“I think it’s becoming one too many, the incidents of air crashes involving the military. The investigation should not just look into the immediate cause of this, but the frequent crashes of our military aircraft.

“What is the state of maintenance of all these aircraft? How long have they been in service? From records, we’ve had over 10 crashes in the last 10 years. You remember the one that claimed the life of the Chief of Army Staff.

“So we should look into the general operations of the Air Force. It’s sad, very, very sad. The government has taken the right initiative. This is the highest so far in military crashes in terms of casualties,” he lamented.

Ejiofor also raised concerns over the conflicting figures initially reported, saying the discrepancy pointed to weaknesses in record-keeping.

“It goes again to the issue of data keeping. It should have been simple to get the manifest and know the number of people. But you know the way we keep records. My only surprise is that there might be more people in the aircraft who were not contained in the manifest.

“So I think that is what is responsible for the disconnect. We should rely more on the manifest of the aircraft if they actually complied with that,” he said.

On the difficulty in recovering the wreckage, Ejiofor attributed the challenge to the terrain and stressed the importance of recovering the aircraft’s black boxes.

“It’s the terrain. The terrain is very bad. You’ll recall we had a case like that in 2012 involving Dana Air where the aircraft dived into the deep; it was on a swamp, so to speak.

“The pilot managed to avoid areas to reduce the number of casualties at the risk of his own life. As the investigation goes on, we should be able to know what actually happened. But the fear is that, except the black boxes are recovered, they lost contact and signals from the aircraft as soon as it took off.”

Ejiofor also questioned the purpose of the aircraft’s journey, saying he doubted it was on reconnaissance given the number of people on board.

“I very much doubt if it was actually on an operation with that number of people if it’s on reconnaissance. If you have that number of people, from Lagos to Benin to Lagos are not very serious operational areas. If you are talking of somewhere like Niger, Zamfara, in the North, we can say yes, maybe they went for an operation.

“But I believe there may be abuse in our country, possibly conveying these people using the Air Force aircraft. I understand there were children inside, so they couldn’t have been on reconnaissance.”

On the rescue operation, Ejiofor said the proximity of a naval base and police station should ordinarily have facilitated a quick response, but acknowledged the difficulty posed by the terrain.

“I think nobody should be blamed for this, because it’s close to a naval base and police station, so rescue should have been immediate. But the terrain posed a very serious challenge. As we speak, the fuselage of the aircraft has not been recovered. There’s no hope of any life, because body parts were scattered. It’s quite unfortunate, but let’s wait for the outcome.”

Reacting to reports of a deafening sound before the crash, Ejiofor cautioned against drawing conclusions before the investigation is completed.

“For me, these are speculations. It’s possible the impact on crashing caused the deafening noise. But if you look at the situation analytically, that body parts were found, it’s also possible that there was an explosion before the impact, which led to disintegration. Until the investigation is concluded, we can’t be specific on what actually caused it,” he said.

Tambuwal, Olugbo, Abia leaders mourn

Former Sokoto State Governor and Senator representing Sokoto South, Aminu Tambuwal, the Olugbo of Ugboland, Oba Frederick Akinruntan, and prominent Abia indigenes have expressed condolences to the Federal Government, the Nigerian Armed Forces and the families of victims.

Tambuwal, in a condolence message posted on his X handle, described the incident as a tragic loss to the nation and sympathised with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Minister of Defence, the Chief of Defence Staff, the Chief of the Air Staff and the entire Armed Forces.

“Behind each life lost is a family whose world has changed forever. No words can ease the anguish of such a sudden separation,” Tambuwal said.

He urged the authorities to provide adequate care and support for the bereaved families as investigations continue, and called for measures to prevent a recurrence.

The Olugbo of Ugboland, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Frederick Obateru Akinruntan, CON, Okoro Ajiga 1, the First-Class Royal Father of Ilaje Land, also expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy, which occurred within his domain. He extended his condolences to the leadership of the Nigerian Air Force, the Federal Government and the grieving families.

Abia State Governor Alex Otti; Senator representing Abia North, Orji Uzor Kalu; Senator representing Abia South, Enyi Abaribe; Senator representing Abia Central, Austin Akobundu; and the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, also commiserated with the Federal Government and the NAF over the loss of personnel, including Abia-born Squadron Leader Ahamefule Aham Man-Ugwueje.

Otti described Man-Ugwueje’s death and those of other military personnel as painful and devastating.

“This accident is both painful and devastating, because it has brought untold sorrow and anguish to the victims’ families, their friends and loved ones, the Nigerian Air Force, and the nation at large,” he said.

The governor regretted that Man-Ugwueje perished in the air disaster about two weeks after he wed his wife, Flight Lieutenant Damilola Adekunle, in Abuja.

Kalu, in a statement personally signed by him, extended his heartfelt sympathy to the Chief of the Air Staff, the entire Nigerian Air Force and the families of those who lost their lives.

“The death of personnel who devoted themselves to the service of the country was a huge loss to the Nigerian Air Force and the nation. My thoughts and prayers are especially with the families who have lost their loved ones,” Kalu said.

Akobundu said, “These are young Nigerians with bright futures snatched away from us in such a tragic circumstance. It is profoundly shocking. I call on all relevant agencies to intensify their efforts in recovering the bodies so their families can bury them with dignity.

“They should also recover the wreckage of the crashed aircraft for a thorough investigation to unravel what led to the crash, so mechanisms can be put in place to avoid a recurrence.”

The Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, described the incident as “a national tragedy” while calling for a comprehensive investigation and pledging the support of Parliament in strengthening measures to prevent future air disasters.