Ondo Air Crash: FG Will Stand by Bereaved Families, Says Shettima

Vice President Kashim Shettima has assured the families of personnel killed in the Nigerian Air Force aircraft crash in Ondo State that the Federal Government will continue to support them beyond the immediate period of mourning. Shettima gave the assurance on Tuesday while paying tribute to the military personnel who died when a Nigerian Air Force ATR-42 aircraft crashed near a naval base in Igbokoda, Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State. The aircraft was travelling from Benin City, Edo State, to Lagos on a routine mission when it crashed on Monday. In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Stanley Nkwocha, Shettima said the country owed an enduring debt of gratitude to the fallen personnel and their families. He said the Federal Government's responsibility would not end with expressions of condolence. “We cannot ask the bereaved to be strong today. Grief does not obey instructions,” the Vice President said, adding that Nigeria would stand beside the affected families beyond the days of mourning. Shettima pays tribute to fallen personnel The Vice President described the crash as a painful national tragedy, noting that the people aboard the aircraft were not merely military personnel but also members of families who were expecting them to return home. He said the loss had created empty spaces in the homes of the deceased and acknowledged the personal impact of the tragedy on spouses, children, parents, siblings and other relatives. Shettima extended his condolences to the officers, airmen and airwomen of the Nigerian Air Force, describing the service as a professional family bound together by duty and sacrifice. He also prayed for the repose of the deceased and asked God to give their families, colleagues and loved ones the strength to bear the loss. The assurance came as military authorities continued investigations into what caused the aircraft to crash. Tinubu orders investigation President Bola Tinubu has directed the Nigerian Air Force to conduct a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the accident. Tinubu also declared three days of national mourning for the fallen Air Force personnel and ordered that national flags be flown at half-mast across the country. The President said the sacrifice of Air Force personnel who put their lives at risk in the service of the country would not be forgotten. He also commended the Nigerian Air Force, the Ondo State Government and other first responders for activating search and rescue operations after the aircraft went down. The Defence Headquarters subsequently confirmed that an investigation would be conducted to establish the cause of the accident. It also appealed to members of the public to avoid speculation and respect the privacy of the affected families while official procedures continue. Conflicting figures over number on board There has been a discrepancy in official accounts concerning the number of people aboard the aircraft. The Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development initially reported that the aircraft had 25 passengers and seven crew members, making 32 people on board. The ministry said the aircraft had disappeared from radar while travelling from Benin to Lagos before the wreckage was located near the naval base in Igbokoda. President Tinubu's initial statement also referred to an aircraft carrying 32 people. However, the Nigerian Air Force subsequently said 25 people were aboard the aircraft — 20 passengers and five crew members — and that there were no survivors. The Associated Press reported the revised figure while noting that the earlier figure of 32 had not been immediately explained by Nigerian officials. Shettima's statement on Tuesday continued to refer to 32 personnel, saying that “thirty-two of our compatriots” had left on a routine mission. Because of the conflicting figures, the exact number of people who died in the crash should be treated cautiously until the military releases a definitive account. Aircraft crashed near naval base The aircraft, identified as an ATR-42 with registration NGR 931, crashed in the Igbokoda area of Ilaje Local Government Area. The Federal Ministry of Aviation said the aircraft disappeared from radar at about 9:13am on Monday after travelling from Benin towards Lagos. The wreckage was subsequently located close to the Naval Base in Igbokoda, with rescue personnel and other emergency agencies deployed to the area. The Defence Headquarters said the aircraft was carrying military personnel and some family members, although its statement did not independently provide a passenger figure. The cause of the crash remains unknown. Authorities have not attributed the accident to mechanical failure, weather conditions, human error or any other specific factor. The investigation ordered by the President is expected to establish the circumstances that led to the crash. FG promises support for families Shettima's statement did not announce a specific financial package for the bereaved families. Instead, the Vice President assured them that the government's responsibility to the families would extend beyond the immediate period of condolences and national mourning. His comments come as the military community mourns the loss and awaits the outcome of the investigation. The Federal Government has also called on Nigerians to respect the privacy of the families as the authorities complete the necessary procedures surrounding the recovery and identification of the deceased. For the families, the government's assurance comes at a time of profound loss, while the wider military community continues to mourn colleagues who died while carrying out a routine assignment. The investigation into the crash is expected to provide answers on what happened to the aircraft between its departure from Benin and the discovery of the wreckage in Ondo. Until those findings are released, authorities have urged the public to rely on official information and avoid speculation about the cause of the accident.