President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has declared a three-day national mourning period in honour of 32 persons who lost their lives after a Nigerian military aircraft crashed in Ondo State on Monday.
The President made the declaration in a statement released through his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, expressing deep sorrow over the tragic incident that has thrown the nation’s Armed Forces and the entire country into mourning.
President Tinubu, in his message, said he received the news of the crash with profound sadness, describing the incident as a painful moment for the Armed Forces and for Nigeria as a whole, considering the circumstances under which the gallant officers died.
He directed that all national flags across the country and at Nigeria’s foreign missions abroad be flown at half-mast for three days as a mark of respect and honour for the deceased officers and crew members who died in active service.
The aircraft involved, an ATR-42 jet belonging to the Nigerian Army, was said to be carrying 25 passengers and seven crew members, making a total of 32 people on board, all of whom reportedly died in the crash, with no survivor recorded.
According to details provided, the ill-fated aircraft crashed near a naval base in the Igbokoda area of Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, a coastal community that was thrown into panic following the loud explosion that followed the crash.
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, confirmed the incident, stating that the aircraft was on a routine operational flight from Benin City, Edo State, to Lagos State when tragedy struck mid-air.
Keyamo explained that air traffic controllers lost contact with the aircraft at about 08:13 Greenwich Mean Time on Monday morning, after which a search and rescue operation was immediately activated, leading to the discovery of the wreckage in Ondo State.
Sources within the military revealed that the aircraft had taken off from Benin City earlier in the morning and was expected to land in Lagos before the communication was lost, prompting fears that something terrible had happened.
Upon receiving the distress signal, emergency responders, including personnel of the Nigerian Air Force, Nigerian Navy, and local security operatives, were deployed to the crash site to recover bodies and secure the area.
Eyewitnesses in Igbokoda said the aircraft was seen struggling in the air before it went down, with thick smoke billowing from the crash site, making rescue efforts extremely difficult for the first responders who arrived at the scene.
President Tinubu, while mourning the deceased, extended his heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims, the Nigerian Army, the Nigerian Air Force, and the entire Armed Forces, urging them to bear the irreparable loss with courage and fortitude.
The President also directed the Chief of the Air Staff and the leadership of the Armed Forces to immediately commence a thorough and transparent investigation into the cause of the crash to ascertain what led to the accident.
He stressed that such investigation has become necessary to prevent future occurrences, noting that the safety of military personnel and military assets remains a top priority of his administration.
The President assured that the Federal Government would provide all necessary support to the families of the deceased officers and ensure that those who paid the supreme price in service to the nation are given befitting honours.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Army is yet to release the full identities of the passengers and crew members who were on board the ill-fated aircraft, but sources say they were mostly military personnel on official assignment.
The crash has sparked reactions across the country, with many Nigerians taking to social media to mourn the fallen heroes and call for improved safety standards and regular maintenance of military aircraft in the country.
Security experts have also urged the Federal Government to carry out a comprehensive audit of all military aircraft in the fleet, especially those used for routine operations, to ensure they meet international airworthiness standards.
The three-day national mourning declared by President Tinubu is expected to begin on Tuesday, during which all official engagements and celebrations may be low-key as the nation reflects on the tragic loss of its gallant officers.
As at the time of filing this report, the wreckage of the aircraft has been cordoned off by security agencies, while investigators from the Nigerian Air Force and the Accident Investigation Bureau have commenced preliminary investigations at the crash site in Igbokoda, Ondo State.
The Special Adviser, Bayo Onanuga, added that President Tinubu has also directed the Secretary to the Government of the Federation to work with the Armed Forces to put in place a befitting national burial arrangement for the fallen personnel, assuring that their sacrifices to the nation will never be forgotten.
In Ondo State, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa has described the incident as a black Monday for the state, commiserating with President Tinubu and the military high command, while directing state emergency agencies to give full cooperation to federal investigators at the crash site in Igbokoda.
The National Assembly is also expected to observe a minute silence in honour of the victims when plenary resumes, as lawmakers have called on the executive to urgently improve funding for military aviation safety and ensure life insurance benefits for families of personnel who die in active service.
