Isaac Samuel
Nigeria’s military has recorded at least 14 aircraft crashes, mishaps and other major aviation incidents in the past six years, resulting in 33 deaths, a review of military aviation incidents from 2020 to October 2026 has shown.
The latest incident occurred on Monday when a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) ATR-42 aircraft, registration NGR 931, crashed near Naval Base Igbokoda in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State.
The aircraft, which was on a routine flight from Benin to Lagos, had 25 passengers and seven crew members on board when it disappeared from radar at about 9:13 a.m.
Its wreckage was later located near Igbokoda, with search and rescue operations activated by the NAF and other agencies.
As of the time of filing this report, however, there was no confirmed information on the fate of those aboard the aircraft.
The Director of Public Relations and Information, NAF, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, disclose in a statement, said the rescue operation was being conducted in coordination with relevant authorities and emergency response agencies.
“The Nigerian Air Force has activated an immediate Search and Rescue operation following an ATR-42 aircraft accident in the Igbokoda area of Ondo State on 5 October 2026,” Ejodame said.
He added that the NAF was committed to ensuring the success of the ongoing operation, while further details would be released as they became available.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, said 32 people, comprising 25 passengers and seven crew members, were on board the aircraft.
Keyamo said air traffic controllers lost contact with the aircraft at about 9:13 a.m., after which efforts to raise it on radio proved unsuccessful.
He said subsequent information confirmed that the aircraft had crashed close to the Naval Base in Igbokoda, with the wreckage located at the site.
“Preliminary information suggests that there were 25 passengers and seven crew members on board,” Keyamo said.
The minister, however, did not provide details on the identities or condition of those on board, saying search-and-rescue operations were still ongoing.
The review, which includes crashes, significant mishaps, emergency landings and aircraft losses, shows that 2021 was the deadliest year, with four major incidents resulting in 20 deaths or presumed deaths.
The year began with the crash of a NAF Beechcraft King Air 350i on February 21, 2021.
The aircraft, which was returning to Abuja after a surveillance mission, crashed shortly after take-off, killing all seven military personnel on board.
On March 31, an Alpha Jet disappeared during an operation in Borno State. Its wreckage was subsequently found in the Sambisa Forest, but the two pilots were never accounted for and are presumed dead.
Two months later, on May 21, a NAF King Air 350 crashed near Kaduna, killing 11 people, including the then Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru.
The crash prompted an investigation by the NAF and the Accident Investigation Bureau, with an interim report producing several findings and safety recommendations.
In July of the same year, an Alpha Jet crashed in Zamfara State after being shot down by bandits. Its pilot, Flight Lieutenant Abayomi Dairo, survived after ejecting from the aircraft.
The following year, another fatal incident occurred when a NAF Super Mushshak trainer aircraft crashed in Kaduna on April 19, 2022, killing its two pilots.
The frequency of incidents increased in 2023.
In February, a NAF Cessna Citation CJ3 maritime patrol aircraft suffered a tyre problem during a training exercise and subsequently made a controlled belly landing at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos. No lives were lost.
In July, an FT-7NI trainer aircraft crashed in Makurdi, Benue State, although its pilots survived.
The following month, an NAF MI-171 helicopter conducting a casualty evacuation mission crashed at Chukuba village in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State. The incident claimed 11 lives.
In December, an NAF MI-35P helicopter crashed shortly after take-off from the NAF Base in Port Harcourt. The five crew members survived.
The pattern continued with major mishaps in 2024.
A NAF Super Mushshak trainer aircraft was involved in a minor mishap near Kaduna Military Airfield in March. The two pilots survived unhurt.
An unmanned NAF aircraft was also involved in a mishap in Kaduna later in the year, without human casualties.
The incidents did not result in the same level of fatalities as those recorded in 2021 and 2023, but they added to concerns over aircraft safety and operational risks.
In 2025, an Alpha Jet suffered an in-flight emergency during a post-inspection functional check flight at NAF Base Kainji.
The two pilots successfully ejected after manoeuvring the aircraft away from populated areas and survived.
In January 2026, a NAF CH-4B unmanned aircraft was lost during a surveillance operation in Niger State. No human casualty was recorded.
Monday’s ATR-42 crash in Ondo has now added another major incident to the record.
The six-year review shows that while not every aircraft incident resulted in fatalities, the repeated crashes and mishaps have raised questions around aircraft maintenance, airworthiness checks, operational safety and the management of military aviation risks.
The incidents have also occurred against the backdrop of increasing reliance on air operations for counter-insurgency, surveillance, troop movement, casualty evacuation and logistics.
The death of Attahiru in the 2021 King Air crash remains the highest-profile military aviation loss in the period, highlighting the potential institutional consequences of aircraft accidents beyond the immediate loss of personnel.
