By Amofokhai Williams
President Bola Tinubu has declared three days of national mourning and ordered the national flag to be flown at half-mast across the country following the tragic crash of a Nigerian Air Force aircraft that claimed the lives of all 32 personnel on board.
The ill-fated ATR-42 military jet was on a routine flight from Benin City to Lagos when it lost contact with air traffic controllers at 09:13 hours earlier today.
The aircraft, carrying 25 passengers and seven crew members, crashed in a swampy, riverine area near the Naval Base at Igbokoda in Ondo State, where search and rescue teams located the wreckage amid difficult terrain.
In an official statement issued by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, President Tinubu expressed profound sadness and paid glowing tribute to the fallen service personnel.
He described the incident as a painful moment not only for the armed forces but for every Nigerian, noting that the men and women of the Air Force put their lives on the line daily to secure the nation and that their sacrifice would never be forgotten.
The President disclosed that he had received a full briefing from the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, and had directed the Nigerian Air Force to launch an immediate and thorough investigation into the cause of the crash with a view to preventing any recurrence in future.
He also commended the service for swiftly activating search and rescue operations as soon as the aircraft went missing.
Tinubu’s directive for flags to fly at half-mast throughout the federation takes immediate effect and will span three days as a solemn mark of national respect for the fallen officers, airmen and airwomen.
The Nigerian Air Force has stated that the names of those who perished will be officially released only after every family has been duly notified of their loss.
The tragedy comes at a time when the Federal Government has been actively working to modernise and re-equip the Air Force, having recently taken delivery of new helicopters to boost operational capacity and security response across the country.
Authorities have called on Nigerians to join in mourning the departed service members while relying strictly on official updates as investigations proceed.
