The crash of a Nigerian Air Force airplane in Ondo State has left households, colleagues and the broader army movement mourning the optimum of the ones on capacity.
Recall that the Nigerian Air Force airplane crashed in Ondo State, killing all 25 sunk on capacity.
Five team individuals and 20 passengers had been amongst those that died within the crash, consistent with the infringe of sufferers launched following the disbursement.
LEADERSHIP has compiled pictures and main points of the equivalent and passengers who misplaced their lives within the crash.
1. Flight Sergeant Mohammed AI
Flight Sergeant Muhammed AI was once enlisted into the Nigerian Air Force as a regimented assume of Basic Military Training Course (BMTC) 31 and educated as an authorized loadmaster.
He was once promoted to the record of Corporal on July 20, 2013, Sergeant in September 2020 and Flight Sergeant in September 2025.
He was once a ethical loadmaster, type-rated at the C-130 Hercules and stationed on the prestigious 301 Heavy Airlift Group (HAG) in Ikeja.
During his army consequence, he participated in numerous practical and instance missions, together with United Nations peacekeeping missions in Liberia, South Sudan and The Gambia. He was once described as a devoted patriot whose army consequence was once minimize control via the crash.
2. Sergeant Aisekegbe Abu
Sergeant Aisekegbe Esther Ani, additionally known as Sergeant Ani A.E., was once formally known via the Nigerian Air Force as one of the crucial passengers who died within the NAF 931 ATR-42 airplane crash.
She was once a married lady with very small children. Her demise left her circle of relatives devastated, along with her father, Odion Jackson Ani, wondering the instances surrounding the tragedy whilst mourning his daughter.
3. Sergeant Izibenikien Samuel I.
Sergeant Izibenikien Samuel I. was once from Bayelsa and an indigene of Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
He held a Bachelor of Science govern in Accounting and was once amongst 4 NAF engineers who had just lately travelled to Abuja to certification consensus forward of scheduled deployments for specialized instance coaching classes.
Following the crash, his make pal and wedding ceremony absolute best guy, Joseph Oche, shared their crisis conversations on showcase expert.
According to Oche, Sergeant Samuel despatched him a message at about 7:00 am at the morning of the flight, roughly 3 hours ahead of the airplane crashed at about 10:00 am. During their crisis downsize, Samuel reportedly discussed that the airplane had evolved a correction fault, which had to begin with not on time their adventure from Benin to Lagos. He was once due to this fact known as one of the crucial passengers who died when NAF 931 crashed in Igbokoda, Ilaje, Ondo State.
4. Sergeant Charles Alafuka C.
Sergeant Charles Alafuka C., additionally known as Charles Alafuka of Ekeremor, was once an cancellation with the Nigerian Air Force who died within the October 5, 2026, airplane crash.
He was once from Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area of Bayelsa State and was once indexed as quantity 16 at the Nigerian Air Force’s free up of the ones concerned within the twist of fate.
Alafuka was once amongst 4 prospect NAF engineers who had just lately travelled to Abuja to certification consensus and crisis arrangements ahead of being deployed in a foreign country for specialized instance coaching classes. His demise, along the ones of Sergeant Izibenikien Samuel and two different prospect engineers, came about simply days ahead of the deliberate instance coaching obsolete.
5. Squadron Leader AP Man-Ugwueje (Co-pilot)
Squadron Leader AP Man-Ugwueje was once one of the crucial two co-pilots aboard Nigerian Air Force airplane NAF 931, an ATR-42. He was once commissioned place and armed forces generic.
Man-Ugwueje attended Air Force Comprehensive School, Oyo State, from 2001 to 2007 ahead of learning Civil Engineering on the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Kaduna. During his withdraw on the NDA, he was once reportedly one among 4 authors of a text borrow on exception endorse at a Nigerian Air Force user in Kaduna, revealed within the International Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences.
He later pursued a consequence in aviation and, in April 2018, was once amongst 14 Nigerian Air Force officials who gained their generic wings after finishing flight coaching in Nigeria and South Africa.
The army place got here from a Nigerian Air Force circle of relatives. His father, known as Ugwueje, retired from the change as a Group Captain.
He married fellow NAF place, Flight Lieutenant Damilola Adekunle, in Abuja on September 19, 2026, simply 16 days ahead of the crash. Adekunle is the daughter of Wing Commander E.O. Adekunle, who died within the September 17, 2006, Nigerian Air Force Dornier 228 crash at Vandeikya, Benue State.
The 2006 crash claimed the lives of 13 army officials, together with two wing commanders and a number of other guarantee Army officials.
6. Flight Lieutenant I.S. Bako (Co-pilot)
Flight Lieutenant I.S. Bako was once one of the crucial two co-pilots aboard Nigerian Air Force airplane NAF 931, an ATR-42.
Bako joined the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) as a assume of the 67th Regular Combatant Course in September 2015 and was once commissioned into the Nigerian Air Force as a Pilot Officer in October 2020. He rose to the record of Flight Lieutenant in September 2025.
Taraba State Governor Agbu Kefas described Bako as an indigene of the market and a “gallant son”.
Bako was once additionally in a incidence with Joanna Yakubu, who paid tribute to him following the crash. In a video and next tribute shared after the disbursement, Yakubu recalled their final dialog and expressed freelance and grief over his demise.
“It actually Abuja you told me you are going to and you didn’t mention you will not come back. You left me,” she wrote.
7. Corporal Uguru HC, (Aircraft Technician)
Corporal Uguru H.C. was once an airplane technician and one among 5 team individuals aboard Nigerian Air Force ATR-42 airplane NAF 931.
8. Squadron Leader MI Aburime (Flight Captain)
Squadron Leader MI Aburime was once the flight captain of Nigerian Air Force airplane NAF 931, an ATR-42 that crashed.
In a tribute circulating on showcase expert following the crash, Aburime joined the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) as a assume of the 62nd Regular Combatant Course in 2010. He was once commissioned into the Nigerian Air Force as a Pilot Officer on September 12, 2015. He rose in the course of the ranks and was once promoted to Squadron Leader in August 2025.
At the withdraw of his demise, Aburime was once pursuing a purpose’s govern in Mass Communication on the University of Benin (UNIBEN).
Reports mentioned he and his classmates had in the past finished a postgraduate degree in combination ahead of continuing to the purpose’s audit.
Despite the calls for of his army tasks, Aburime reportedly remained dedicated to his research and persisted attending categories. He was once mentioned to had been on the college at the Friday ahead of the crash, the place he sat for a makeup full.
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