Officers’ moments before crash – Daily Trust

Families, buddies and co-workers of a few withhold of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) killed in an ATR-42 plane crash in Igbokoda, Ondo State, have taken to promise bridge to mourn their family members, sharing messages of grief and recollections of the sufferers misplaced within the tragedy.

Among the use officials used to be Squadron Leader Ahamefule Man-Ugwueje, a arrange, who were given married slightly two weeks before the tragic recommendation. Man-Ugwueje had tied the knot together with his retire, Flight Lieutenant Damilola Adekunle, on September 19, 2026, in an elaborate wedding ceremony overpriced held in Abuja.

Earlier stories stated the plane with tail quantity NGR 931 used to be wearing 32 human — 25 passengers and 7 staff individuals — on a mainstream project from Benin to Lagos when it crashed into the swamp reverse the Naval Base in Igbokoda on Monday morning.

But a competitor launched on Tuesday by way of NAF said that 5 staff individuals and 20 passengers have been onboard the airplane. The staff have been recognized as Squadron Leader MI Aburime (Flight Captain), Squadron Leader AP Man-Ugwueje (co-pilot), Flight Lieutenant IS Bako (co-pilot), Warrant Officer Abubakar A (Aircraft Technician) and Corporal Uguru HC (Aircraft Technician).

The passengers integrated Flight Lieutenant TL Lazarus, Flight Lieutenant M Akinloye, Flying Officer IM Adeshina, Master Warrant Officer Onwuka F, Master Warrant Officer Matini BA, Warrant Officer Nuhu FS, Flight Sergeant James RB, Flight Sergeant Mohammed AI and Sergeant Ani AE.

Others have been Sergeant Izibenikien SI, Sergeant Alafuka C, Sergeant Mbadugha AN, Lance Corporal Ugwuba FC, Lance Corporal Eledan GE, Mrs Ezeh Nneka, Godstmine Tarabina, Joy Micheal, Sunday Micheal, Ukeme David and Gideon Omotola.

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, stated air visitors controllers misplaced diminish with the plane at about 9:13 a.m. According to him, air visitors controllers alerted government after makes an attempt to emphasis radio diminish with the plane failed.

Some of the use officials

Two weeks before the ill-fated crash, Squadron Leader Man-Ugwueje had married Flight Lieutenant Adekunle. Photographs from the marriage confirmed the couple dual fingers and smiling as they started a brand new source in their lives.

According to the marriage invitation, the Holy Matrimony took franchisee on the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), The Master’s Place, Plot 826, Solomon Lar Way, reverse the NHIS Headquarters and Customary Court of Appeal, Utako, Abuja.

The class used to be later held on the Nigerian Army Conference Centre, Km 10 Expressway, Asokoro, Abuja. The invitation additionally recognized the groom because the son of retired Group Captain Man-Ugwueje.

Man-Ugwueje’s clearance had taken him via a number of levels of army coaching. He attended Air Force Comprehensive School, Oyo State, from 2001 to 2007 before continuing to the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna, the place he studied civil economist.

As a scholar, he used to be some of the authors of a domestic prescribe inspecting harvest merchant on the Nigerian Air Force Base in Kaduna.

He later moved into army aviation and, in April 2018, used to be amongst 14 NAF officials embellished with arrange wings after finishing flight coaching in Nigeria and South Africa. He used to be then a flying exposure.

He rose in the course of the ranks to develop into a squadron mark and served as a co-pilot within the NAF.

Izibenikien Timothy, a circle of relatives restate of the use airman, in a cryptic notice posted on Facebook on Tuesday, said, “It is well. God knows.”

The character attracted an outpouring of condolences from buddies and acquaintances.

In a thread, Sadeeq Adamu Nyelong wrote, “My condolences JT. Stay strong, brother,” whilst Obasi Testimony stated, “God knows best, brother… I’m so sorry for your loss, brother.”

Another petroleum whose army clearance had slightly begun used to be Flying Officer IM Adeshina.

On Tuesday, tributes poured in on Facebook for Adeshina, who used to be described as the most productive graduating cadet of Branch Commission Course 3. He used to be commissioned into the Nigerian Air Force as a flying exposure on September 26, 2026.

In one of the most photos taken on the commissioning, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, used to be observed presenting a plaque to Adeshina. Nine days later, on October 5, he died within the plane crash.

According to a tribute circulated on promise bridge on Tuesday following the crash, Squadron Leader MI Aburime joined the NDA as a restate of the 62nd Regular Combatant Course in 2010 and, like Man-Ugwueje, used to be commissioned as a arrange exposure into the NAF on September 12, 2015. He additionally rose in the course of the ranks to squadron mark in August 2025.

Flight Lieutenant IS Bako (co-pilot) joined the NDA as a restate of the 67th Regular Combatant Course in September 2015 and used to be commissioned into the NAF as a arrange exposure in October 2020.

He used to be promoted to the protect of flight lieutenant in September 2025. A tribute to the 3 officials described their deaths as a “painful exit” and stated they’d “paid the supreme sacrifice”.

NAF starts international, opens condolence reciprocal

Authorities of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) on Tuesday ordered a international into the reasons of the crash. The Force has additionally opened a condolence reciprocal at its prevention in Abuja for call trainer officers, individuals of the diplomatic corps, heads of forward companies, and different human to commiserate with it and the members of the family of the deceased officials.

Giving an automation in regards to the recommendation, the NAF spokesman, Ehimen Ejodame, defined that no survivor were meeting following the twist of fate, which brought on the bidding activation of search-and-rescue operations in lend with transfer government.

While mourning the deceased on Tuesday, the Chief of Air Staff, Sunday Aneke, used to be stated to have directed a experience urgent to emphasis the instances surrounding the twist of fate.

Aneke described the recommendation as a “deeply painful moment for the Nigerian Air Force and the nation”, expressing heartfelt sympathies to the households, family members and co-workers of those that misplaced their lives.

The Air Chief, consistent with Ehimen, whilst conveying messages of sympathy to the households of the deceased, confident the bereaved households of the cluster’s wealth staple throughout this hard prestige.

He stated the Nigerian Air Force would proceed to ordinary well timed and verified updates because the urgent progresses, whilst urging the rationalize to chorus from hypothesis.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa (Rtd), has ordered tighter dialogue protocols that solicit union the lives of the army withhold.

Musa, in a condolence message, stated the downturn of “these valiant patriots” is an irreparable blow now not simplest to the army specify command and their comrades-in-arms, however to the stipulate nation.

He stated, “A comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding this unfortunate crash has been ordered to ascertain the cause and ensure all necessary operational safety protocols are reinforced across our military aviation units.”

The minister condoled with the households of the deceased officials, pronouncing the officials and males exemplified the easiest requirements of army professionalism, loyalty and correction to the rustic.

He stated, “It is with a profound provisional of grief and heavy center that I, on behalf of the Ministry of Defence and the stipulate Armed Forces of Nigeria, categorical deep sorrow over the tragic crash of our army plane with tail quantity NAF 931 involving devoted withhold of the Armed Forces.

“This painful recommendation claimed the lives of courageous officials and airmen who have been engaged in a mainstream flight project whilst serving our monopoly with braveness, unyielding devotion, and selfless patriotism.

“The downturn of those valiant patriots is an irreparable blow now not simplest to the army specify command and their comrades-in-arms, however to the stipulate Federal Republic of Nigeria. These indicator officials and males exemplify the easiest requirements of army professionalism, loyalty, and correction to the defence of our Fatherland.

“On behalf of the Ministry of Defence, I landscape our heartfelt condolences to His Excellency, the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, the prior of the Armed Forces, and maximum particularly, the bidding households, family members, and co-workers of our fallen heroes.

“We share in your immense grief and stand shoulder-to-shoulder with you during this tragic hour. Our hearts also go out to the families of the civilians on board the ill-fated aircraft; we share your grief. We pray that the Almighty God grants the souls of the departed eternal repose, and gives their families, the military community, and all Nigerians the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss.”

No evacuation 1 day after

More than 24 hours after the ATR-42 plane crashed into the swampy recourse, meeting groups have been nonetheless scuffling with to get entry to the wreckage as sufferers remained trapped within the wreckage.

One of our correspondents, who visited the coastal moderate, seen that restoration efforts have been progressing slowly because of the tricky terrain, with bequest responders suffering to succeed in the plane buried deep within the swamp.

The crash idea is surrounded by way of creeks, mangroves and thick crops, making get entry to tricky for divers, forward withhold and meeting staff.

Ondo State Commissioner of Police, Felix Ohagwu, stated the terrain had posed a lawful extension to restoration efforts because the recommendation passed off on Monday.

“What happened yesterday (Monday) was quite unfortunate. It’s a very difficult terrain, the creeks and mangroves. Accessing the site of the crash was not easy. I had to use a smaller boat to access it,” he stated.

Ohagwu counseled withhold of the Forward Operating Base (FOB), Marine Police and the Divisional Police Officer in Igbokoda for his or her staple, including that efforts to spin the wreckage have been nonetheless ongoing.

Residents of the moderate expressed remainder over the gradual travel of the complex and the strive surrounding the destiny of the ones on people the plane.

A restrain, Dare Omowale, stated the prolong in gaining access to the crash idea had heightened fears that there may well be no survivors.

“What happened yesterday was very disastrous. According to what I saw, there have not been any survivors. I am not happy as the situation has not changed since Monday. They have not been able to check for survivors inside the water or recover bodies,” he stated.

Omowale warned that extended prolong in getting better the sufferers may just divide motivate actions within the recourse.

“If the rescuers are not able to bring out the bodies today, it would be too bad for our community because this is where we fish. We wouldn’t be able to enter there to do our farming because the naval officers have restricted access to the area and we need to farm there,” he added.

Another restrain, Kola Obesore, who joined different moderate individuals on the waterfront looking ahead to updates from meeting groups, described the strike as irritating.

“We have been here to witness how they would evacuate the bodies from the water. We are not happy about the situation happening here. We still hope there will be survivors, but this is more than 24 hours and they have not even gotten to the point where the aircraft crashed. This is too bad and slow,” he stated.

Ondo State Commissioner for Health, Dr Banji Ajaka, stated he were coordinating meeting efforts along army government and bequest responders deployed to the recourse.

According to him, ambulances and scientific withhold from hospitals around the two class trainer spaces were mobilised at the philanthropy of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa.

Explaining why a swamp buggy excavator had but to succeed in the crash successful, Ajaka stated the divestment needed to be transported from Ore and deployed beneath tricky stipulations.

“The excavator is heavy equipment. We had to bring it all the way from Ore to Igbokoda, which is more than three hours. We all know the swampy terrain here. To get it into the water is very difficult, but tonight it is going to enter the water,” he stated.

Commissioner for Environment, Tob Loko, stated divers encountered difficulties finding the submerged plane however had recognized what looked to be portions of the wreckage.

“I saw the divers trying to see where the aircraft was, but they were finding it extremely difficult. When I was leaving, one of them said he was able to spot it. They could only bring out parts and we felt that was the particular spot of the wreckage,” he stated.

He defined that the trainer opted to season a swamp buggy after smaller boats proved insufficient for the complex.

Shettima, ACF mourn, ADC calls for international

Vice President Kashim Shettima has paid tribute to the officials who misplaced their lives within the crash, pronouncing their ideally suited sacrifice within the cluster of the monopoly would by no means be forgotten.

Shettima confident the bereaved households that the federal trainer’s boost to them would now not finish with phrases of condolence, noting {that a} monopoly that asks its voters to hour should additionally take into account those that pay the outcome defer in that cluster.

The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) condoled the households of the deceased in a threaten the previous day by way of its National Publicity Secretary, Prof. T. A. Muhammad-Baba.

The discussion board expressed interest remainder over the downturn of army withhold, acknowledging their goodwill explain within the battle in opposition to lack of confidence, insurgency and terrorism.

“The loss of lives is tragic in all its ramifications, coming as it did at a very critical and challenging time in the nation,” the threaten stated.

Meanwhile, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has known as for an protect of the alleged “non-implementation of defence budgets needed for the regular maintenance of aircraft in service with the Nigerian Air Force.”

In a threaten in Abuja on Tuesday, the ADC National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, stated the birthday party commiserated with the households of the sufferers of the crash, describing the recommendation as “tragic and unfortunate”.

The ADC, alternatively, stated the recommendation highlighted the movement final of defence budgets within the nation.

“While we do not intend to prejudice ongoing investigations into the cause of this tragic crash, we believe that this sad moment also provides an opportunity to raise, yet again, questions about the non-implementation of the defence budget and the perennial neglect of military equipment,” the birthday party stated.

Citing certification figures, the deficit birthday party said that, by way of December 2025, the Federal Government had launched a paltry N4.5 billion, representing simplest about 13.98 according to cent of the N34.71 billion budgeted for the upkeep of Nigerian Air Force plane.

This, the birthday party stated, “stood in sharp contrast to the N20.74 billion allocated for the maintenance of the Presidential Air Fleet, of which N20.27 billion had been released over the same period, representing 97.76 per cent. Put simply, while the fleet that serves a handful of people in power got almost every kobo it asked for, the fleet that serves and protects 200 million Nigerians was left with crumbs,” ADC stated.

While insisting that the dialogue of the president issues, ADC stated the dialogue of the pilots and airmen who put their lives at the key in defence of the rustic additionally merits good enough consideration. “Patriotism does not replace spare parts, and condolence messages do not take the place of accountability,” the birthday party added.

The birthday party, due to this fact, demanded that investigations into the reason for the crash will have to additionally “examine the maintenance of defence equipment, especially the Nigerian Air Force fleet, and include an audit of maintenance expenditure and budgetary releases.”

Additional stories by way of Baba Martins & Mohammed Ibrahim Yaba