Nigerian Air Force breaks silence on Allegations Of Cover-Up Over Fatal Ondo Aircraft Cr∆sh, Says Probe Ongoing
Nigerian Air Force breaks silence on Allegations Of Cover-Up Over Fatal Ondo Aircraft Crash, Says Probe Ongoing
The man questioned why the aircraft was allowed to continue its journey if the reported technical problem had not been adequately resolved.
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has said a thorough investigation is ongoing into the crash of its ATR-42 aircraft in Ondo State, following allegations by the brother of a deceased female sergeant that the aircraft had developed a mechanical fault before the fatal flight.
Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, the Director of Public Relations and Information of the Nigerian Air Force, gave the response to SaharaReporters following a report published on Sunday.
The bereaved man had accused the military of downplaying the circumstances surrounding the crash, alleging that his sister told him the aircraft had developed a technical problem and stopped in Benin City, Edo State, for repairs before proceeding with its journey.
Responding to the allegations, Ejodame said the issues raised would form part of the ongoing investigation.
“A thorough investigation into the accident is ongoing. The circumstances surrounding the incident, including the issues raised, will be examined as part of the investigative process,” he said.
He added, “Further information will be communicated as appropriate, while conclusions on the circumstances and causes of the accident will be guided by the findings of the investigation.”
The Air Force did not directly confirm or deny the specific allegation that the aircraft had developed a mechanical fault before departing Benin City.
In the report published earlier on Sunday, SaharaReporters quoted the deceased sergeant’s brother as saying that his sister had informed him of the aircraft’s technical problems shortly before the crash.
In a video circulating on social media, the man said his sister had told him that the aircraft had stopped in Benin City after travelling from Abuja, with personnel waiting for the reported fault to be addressed before continuing their journey.
He alleged that his sister had asked him to send her money while she was in Benin City and that the aircraft departed shortly after he transferred the money to her.
“I have evidence that this aircraft was coming all the way from Abuja. It stopped in Benin on Sunday night so that it can be fixed,” he said.
“And it was unfixable because my sister told me on that call that she does not know what was wrong with this aircraft. I should just send her money, and I sent her money immediately.”
The man questioned why the aircraft was allowed to continue its journey if the reported technical problem had not been adequately resolved.
“Who gave that command for them to manage the aircraft to Lagos?” he asked.
He also accused the military of attempting to manage public perception of the incident and demanded greater transparency over the circumstances that led to the crash.
The allegations follow an earlier SaharaReporters investigation published on October 7, which reported that the NAF ATR-42 aircraft, marked NAF 931, had developed an engine fault in Benin City on Sunday, October 4, 2026, a day before it crashed in Ondo State.
According to that report, multiple sources, including a passenger aboard the aircraft, said the plane had been travelling from Abuja to Lagos when it developed an engine problem during a stop in Benin City.
The sources told SaharaReporters that technicians worked on the aircraft overnight before it departed for Lagos on Monday morning.
The report further stated that the aircraft took off after engineers reportedly said they had rectified the fault but crashed minutes after departure near the Naval Base in Igbokoda, Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State.
SaharaReporters also reported that the aircraft had previously undergone prolonged maintenance at a facility in Germany, where it reportedly remained for almost three years before returning to Nigeria in December 2024.
The Air Force had described the ill-fated flight as a routine mission from Benin City to Lagos.
The latest allegations have raised further questions about the aircraft’s condition before its final flight, the nature of any repairs carried out in Benin City and the decision to allow it to continue its journey.
NAF Assures Families Of Thorough Investigation
Following the crash, the Nigerian Air Force said it was conducting search, recovery and investigative operations at the accident site in Igbokoda.
In a statement issued on October 8, the Air Force said its Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, had visited the site to assess the ongoing operations and assure affected families that the incident would be thoroughly investigated.
The service said all relevant evidence would be secured, documented, preserved and examined as part of the investigative process.
It also cautioned against speculation about the cause of the accident, saying conclusions would be premature until investigators had assessed the relevant evidence and circumstances.
According to the statement, the accident site remained secured, while recovered items and other relevant evidence were being documented and preserved to support the investigation.
The Air Force said the Chief of the Air Staff had reaffirmed the service’s commitment to professionalism, transparency and accountability, while assuring families of the deceased of continued support.
On October 7, the NAF also said personnel from the military, security agencies, emergency-response organisations, the Ondo State Government and local communities were working together on search and recovery efforts.
The service subsequently announced that Aneke had visited 107 Air Maritime Group at the NAF Base in Benin City, the home unit of the ill-fated aircraft, on October 8.
During the visit, the Chief of the Air Staff reportedly assured personnel and the families of those affected that the service would provide emotional, administrative and institutional support.
The Air Force also said scholarship awards had been provided for the children of deceased personnel and pledged to continue supporting the affected families.
Brother Raises Concerns Over Communication, Welfare
Beyond the allegations about the aircraft’s condition, the deceased sergeant’s brother expressed frustration over what he described as a lack of communication from the Nigerian Air Force following the crash.
He said he was his sister’s next of kin but had not received meaningful updates about the recovery of the victims, the investigation or arrangements for affected families.
“Meanwhile, it’s five days and I am the next of kin. I’ve not gotten any information. I’ve not gotten any news. Nothing from you guys,” he said.
The man also questioned the remuneration and welfare of military personnel, saying his sister had asked him for financial assistance shortly before the incident.
He claimed that despite serving in the Air Force for more than 11 years, she had less than ₦17,000 in her bank account at the time.
“How does a sergeant in the Nigerian Air Force not have ₦17,000 in their account?” he asked.
He further alleged that personnel sometimes struggled to meet basic financial needs and claimed that salaries were not consistently paid. He did not provide independently verifiable payroll records to substantiate the salary-related allegations.
The bereaved man also said his sister had children and questioned whether the welfare provisions for military personnel adequately reflected the risks associated with their duties.
He called on the Air Force to clarify the sequence of events before the crash, establish whether the aircraft had developed a mechanical fault and identify the officers who authorised its departure from Benin City if investigators find that any wrongdoing occurred.
He said he was prepared to provide investigators with messages exchanged with his sister and other materials he claimed could help establish what happened before the aircraft crashed.
The NAF has said the investigation remains ongoing and that its conclusions will be guided by the findings.
