A weeping lady has lamented her partner who was among the victims of the Nigerian Air Force, NAF 931 aircraft crash at Igbokoda, Ondo State. She said he merely told her he was travelling to Abuja but didn’t warn he won’t return.
Vanguard said that the woman in the popular video questioned why her partner went without warning her it would be his last journey.
This is coming as a family lamented about the loss of their only son, a NYSC-bound graduate aboard the ill-fated aircraft.
Yesterday, search and rescue operations continued and an underwater survey utilising side-scan sonar technology was initiated to map the crash scene to estimate the position of the submerged aircraft 48 hours after the crash.
Meanwhile, the strict dichotomy between civil and military aviation was bridged yesterday as the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, and Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, agreed to deepen collaboration between Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, and Nigerian Air Force, NAF, in the areas of aviation safety, airworthiness, certification, training and capacity building. Shop African Artwork
The presidential candidate of Nigeria Democratic Congress, Peter Obi, paid a condolence visit to NAF headquarters in Abuja to sign the condolence register in commemoration of victims of the disaster, this is as.
“It’s Abuja you told me you were going to, you didn’t say you won’t come back,” the lady mourning the loss of her partner in the popular video stated. You abandoned me.
Yesterday, Wednesday October 7, 2026, was meant to be a home coming day for Ukeme David, another casualty of the disaster.
The young man had planned to depart Benin yesterday and return to Lagos after obtaining his clearance in preparation for his National Youth Service Corps, NYSC.
But a family plea altered his intentions.
Ukeme, who was to fly back to Lagos to look after his sister, boarded the ill-fated NAF aircraft on Monday, October 5, instead of waiting till yesterday. But he never reached home.
A family member who talked with our correspondent on the condition of anonymity said the tragedy was more poignant because Ukeme had went to Benin for his NYSC clearance and was already looking forward to coming back to Lagos.
“He was an intelligent student. His mother was to be back this weekend, he left Benin in the plane to come and look after his sister. He was supposed to come on Wednesday, but Monday was his last day. “He was his only son,” the person claimed.
The family member also revealed that another victim was the son of an Air Force man. Flying Officer IM Adeshina was regarded as the finest student in his set at the Nigerian Defence Academy, NDA. Shop African Art
“He was the best student during his NDA, for Flying Officer IM Adeshina,” the source revealed.
Families waiting to receive the bodies of their loved ones are still highly concerned about the cause of the tragedy.
There were worries about the weather in the area at the time of the occurrence, a family source added, albeit the cause of the collision was not yet known.
“We’re suspecting weather because the information in the area said the weather was not too good. But that’s none of our business. Our first priority now is to acquire their bodies and others for burial,” the source added.
Military sonar survey to identify submerged NAF aircraft
An underwater search with side-scan sonar technology began yesterday to locate the accident site as part of resumed efforts to retrieve the downed plane and occupants with a view to establishing the position of the submerged aircraft.
The sonar survey is likely to help divers and other technical specialists pinpoint the exact location of the aircraft to enable search and rescue team organise further recovery efforts including deployment of a swamp buggy to facilitate excavation in the challenging terrain.
Divers from the Nigerian Navy and drone pilots of the Nigerian Air Force, equipped with sophisticated equipment, have been deployed to carry out targeted searches of the surrounding mangrove and forest areas. Shop African art
The Chief of Naval Staff, Vise Admiral Idi Abbas has deployed the Nigerian Navy Hydrographic Department with modern sonar scan equipment to support the rescue efforts to gain a clear underwater picture of the mapped area because of the turbidity of the swamp.
This is in addition to ongoing efforts by the Nigerian Navy Air Arm in the recovery mission.
The development followed an assessment visit to the scene of the crash by the Flag Officer Commanding, Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Abubakar Abdullahi Mustapha and the Air Officer Commanding, Logistics Command, Nigerian Air Force, Air Vise Marshal Abubakar Abdul Suleh.
The visit was in connection with the NAF ATR-42 aircraft with tail number NAF 931 that crashed in the region.
The delegation was met by the Commanding Officer, Navy Captain Andy Alemongwa, in the Officers’ Mess of the Forward Operating Base, FOB, Igbokoda.
Down below, government officials, community leaders, emergency management organisations and others had come to offer their condolences and support to the Armed Forces.
Others present at the occasion included the Chairman of Ilaje Local Government Area, the Commissioners for Health and Environment, representatives of the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, Nigerian Red Cross Society and National Inland Waterways Authority, NIWA, as well as personnel of other security agencies. African Art Shop
Rear Admiral Mustapha conveyed the appreciation of the Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede and service chiefs to Ondo State administration, communities, emergency agencies and other stakeholders for their support since the incident.
He appealed to stakeholders to remain calm and continue working with agencies involved in the recovery process.
The FOC also commended Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, Hi-tech and AUC Construction businesses for deploying mechanised equipment to support the recovery work.
Later, the group and certain stakeholders travelled by boat to the crash site for an on-the-spot evaluation of the ongoing effort.
They evaluated the situation and offered technical advice with a view to enabling the speedy rescue of the submerged aircraft and its contents.
Later, the party went to the swamp buggy launching point where Rear Admiral Mustapha spoke with the technical staff and urged them to double their efforts toward speedy execution of the recovery mission.
Peter Obi visits NAF HQ, signs condolence register for crash victims GetLocal Permits
In related developments, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, Peter Obi visited the Nigerian Airforce facility in Abuja to sign the register of condolence for personnel who died in the recent military aircraft crash, describing the deaths as a painful loss to the nation.
Obi, who posted the visit on his official X account, commended the gallantry and commitment of the Armed Forces and other security services, which he said, continue to lay down their lives daily in defence of Nigeria and to keep residents secure.
“The visit afforded me another opportunity to reflect on the sacrifices that the men and women of our Armed Forces and other security agencies make on a daily basis in the line of duty.
“Those brave Nigerians gave their lives in service to our nation, defending our country and protecting our people. “We can never take their service and sacrifice for granted,” he added.
The former Governor of Anambra State also commiserated with the Nigerian Air Force and the families of the dead airmen.
“I extend my deepest condolences to the Nigerian Air Force and to the families, colleagues and loved ones of all who lost their lives,” Obi stated.
He said: “Our prayers are with the victims, May the Almighty grant eternal rest to the departed and give their families the strength and fortitude to bear this painful loss.
He also prayed for security officers still working all around the country stating “May God continue to protect all those who serve our country.”
Keyamo, CAS meet, pledge to bridge gap on civil-military aviation safety contradiction
Also yesterday, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, met with the Chef of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke on the rigid distinction between civil and military aviation that has now been narrowed.
Both sides decided to enhance the collaboration between the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA and the Nigerian Air Force, NAF in areas of aviation safety, airworthiness, certification, training and capacity building after the meeting. Shop African Art
The agreement was struck during a condolence visit by the aviation minister to the Chief of Air Staff following the sad Nigerian Air Force plane crash at Igbokoda on Monday.
Keyamo, who lauded the heroism and sacrifices of the men and women of the Air Force, said the incident was a national tragedy, expressing heartfelt condolences to the Nigerian Air Force after the agreement.
We love the Air Force. He said, “We appreciate the hard work of the brave men and women of the Air Force and what they do for the country.”
Keyamo said catastrophes in the aviation industry were not discriminate between military and civilian operators, adding that both sectors eventually served the same country and safeguarded the same inhabitants.
The incident had further demonstrated the necessity for more cooperation and sharing of expertise between the two sides, he said.
It is one country, one people. When calamity strikes, it impacts everyone. There were civilians in that plane disaster and when there’s an air crash in the civil aviation also there might be military personnel.” And therefore it is crucial that we cooperate in the area of safety,” Keyamo added.
The minister said that the Nigerian Air Force already depended on the infrastructure of civil aviation, especially air traffic control, and added that the current relationship should now be expanded to a more formal cooperation. Shop African Art
He said the minister has already contacted the Director-General of the NCAA to establish direct contact between NCAA leadership and the Chief of Air Staff.
“We have agreed that we will work together on capacity building,” he said.
“The NCAA and the Nigerian Air Force will establish a joint committee to promote cooperation in matters related to airworthiness, certification, training and other safety measures in the aviation industry in conformity with the statutory mandates of both institutions,” Keyamo said.
He also informed the Chief of Air Staff that Nigerian Air Force personnel will be given access to relevant training opportunities undertaken by the civil aviation authority.
“There’s no reason we can’t grab a few names from the Air Force. ‘We do a lot of training we go for so there is no reason why we can’t,’ he said.
He also recognised the particular skills in the Nigerian Air Force that would be useful to the private aviation sector, describing the proposed connection as a win-win exchange of information and experience.
“We have decided to build a kind of cross-pollination, a symbiotic relationship for the safety of lives of Nigerians,” Keyamo said.
The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, in his response, thanked the minister for the condolence visit and sustained support to the Nigerian Air Force.
The minister’s gift, he said, was a reflection of the good connection that has been created between the civil and military aviation sectors during his stewardship.
Both institutions had already commenced discussions on a framework to facilitate personnel from the civil aviation sector to contribute to the Air Force’s safety environment, especially in the areas of airworthiness and certification. “Air Force personnel would also contribute their expertise to the civil aviation sector where necessary,” the air chief revealed.
Air Marshal Aneke said “we have both agreed that we need to take the aviation industry be it military or civil to a higher level.
He appreciated the minister’s offer of training opportunities for Air Force personnel, saying it would increase capacity and improve aviation safety in the country.
The air chief added, “We are serving the same government; we are protecting the same Nigerians” even as he stressed that the two organisations had a shared obligation to protect Nigerian lives. “So we are just a mixture of each other.”
The new relationship is set to enhance information exchange, technical cooperation, professional training and safety coordination between Nigeria’s civil and military aviation authorities.
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