The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has confirmed that a military aircraft has crashed in Igbokoda, Ondo State, after going missing from radar while travelling from Benin to Lagos.
Keyamo announced the aircraft, registered as NGR 931, lost contact with air traffic controllers at around 9:13 AM. He stated, “I regret to inform the general public that Air Traffic Controllers have informed me of the disappearance of a military aircraft with tail number NGR 931, en route to Lagos from Benin at 0913 hours earlier today. All efforts to raise the aircraft on radio proved abortive.”
The minister later confirmed that the wreckage was found near the Naval Base in Igbokoda, and search and rescue operations are currently in progress.
“Preliminary information suggests that there were 25 passengers and 7 crew members on board,” he added.
Keyamo clarified that the Ministry of Aviation and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority do not oversee military aircraft operations. “The control and regulation of military aircraft are completely outside our authority. I have just spoken to the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, and pledged our total cooperation and assistance in the ongoing search and rescue efforts,” he noted.
Further updates on the incident will be provided as they become available.
