Nigeria mourns 32 dead after military plane crash
On Monday, a Nigerian Air Force ATR‑42 crashed in a swampy area near a naval base in Ondo State, killing all 32 people on board—25 passengers and 7 crew. President Bola Tinubu declared three days of national mourning and ordered flags to fly at half‑mast across the country.
The aircraft was on a routine flight from Benin City to Lagos when it disappeared from radar at 0913 hrs. Rescue teams struggled to locate the wreckage, which was eventually found close to the Igbokoda naval base.
Police and the Nigerian Air Force have launched a full investigation to determine the cause of the crash and improve safety protocols for future military operations. Officials have not yet released the names of the victims; they will be published once families are notified.
This incident ranks among the deadliest air disasters in Nigeria in recent years, following the 2021 army aircraft crash that killed Lt‑Gen Ibrahim Attahiru and others.
