Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has said no survivor has been found following the crash of a Nigerian Air Force aircraft in Igbokoda, Ilaje Local Government Area of the state.
Aiyedatiwa disclosed this during an interview with Channels Television on Monday, saying residents, security personnel and emergency responders had searched the crash site without finding anyone alive.
The governor said he received information about the incident at about 10:30am after the chairman of the local government contacted him.
According to him, residents living across the river from the Nigerian Navy base in Igbokoda heard a loud sound before seeing the aircraft plunge into a swampy area.
He explained that the Nigerian Navy initially stayed back to determine whether the crash had triggered a fire or explosion before moving towards the site.
“When they noticed that it’s just an accident, they didn’t see any sign of fire. So they moved in, trying to see if they could rescue the people,” Aiyedatiwa said.
He added that officials of the local emergency management agency, residents and personnel of the Amotekun Corps subsequently joined the search for possible survivors.
However, the governor said no one had been found alive at the site as of Monday evening.
“But from the information we got, no single life was saved up to this moment. They could not see any living soul that was in that aircraft,” he said.
Aiyedatiwa said search teams recovered parts of the aircraft, including portions of the wings, identification cards and military uniforms, which helped confirm that the crashed aircraft belonged to the Nigerian Air Force.
“But they saw the ruins, some of the wreckage from the wings of the aircraft, you know, some ID cards, I was told, and then uniform. That was when they knew it was a military aircraft,” he said.
The governor described the incident as a painful development, noting that the crash occurred in his home state and local government area.
“So it’s a sad situation today. And we’re all really, really agreed as a Nigerian. And also it happens in my own state, not just my state, even in my own local government where I’m from,” Aiyedatiwa said.
He expressed sympathy for the military personnel involved, describing them as officers tasked with protecting the territorial integrity of Nigeria.
“It happens to Nigerian military officers who are assigned to protect the territorial integrity of our country and, you know, involving such, you know, accidents. So, so painful. So painful, but so sad,” he added.
The Nigerian Air Force had earlier confirmed that an ATR-42 aircraft with tail number NGR 931 crashed in Igbokoda while on a routine mission from Benin, Edo State, to Lagos.
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, said preliminary information indicated that 25 passengers and seven crew members were on board the aircraft.
The Nigerian Air Force said search and rescue operations were ongoing following the crash.
