A grieving lady has mourned her partner, one of the victims of the Nigerian Air Force, NAF 931 aircraft crash at Igbokoda, Ondo State, saying he only told her he was travelling to Abuja but didn’t tell her he won’t return.

The woman, in a viral video, questioned why her partner left without telling her the journey would be his last.

This is even as a family spoke of the loss of an only son, an NYSC-bound graduate, in the ill-fated flight.

As search and rescue continued yesterday, an underwater survey using side-scan sonar equipment commenced mapping of the crash location to determine the position of the submerged aircraft, 48 hours after the crash.

Meanwhile, the strict dichotomy between civil and military aviation was narrowed yesterday, with the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, and Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, agreeing to deepen collaboration between the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, and the Nigerian Air Force, NAF, in the areas of aviation safety, airworthiness, certification, training and capacity building.

This is as the presidential candidate of Nigeria Democratic Congress, Peter Obi, visited NAF headquarters in Abuja to sign the condolence register in honour of victims of the crash.

Mourning the loss of her partner, the lady in the viral video said: “It’s Abuja you told me you were going to, you didn’t mention you won’t come back. You left me.’’

For Ukeme David, another victim of the crash, Wednesday October 7, 2026, (yesterday) was supposed to be a homecoming day.

After completing his clearance in preparation for the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, the young man had planned to leave Benin and return to Lagos yesterday.

But a family request changed his plans.

Instead of waiting until yesterday, Ukeme boarded the ill-fated NAF aircraft on Monday, October 5, to return to Lagos and help look after his sister. But he never made it home.

A family member, who spoke to Vanguard on condition of anonymity, said the tragedy was particularly painful because Ukeme had travelled to Benin for his NYSC clearance and was already looking forward to returning to Lagos.

“He was a very intelligent student. He left Benin in the aircraft to come and look after his sister, when his mother was to return this weekend. He had intended to come on Wednesday, but Monday became his last day. He was an only son,” the source said.

The family member also disclosed that another victim was the son of an Air Force personnel, while Flying Officer IM Adeshina was remembered as the best student in his set at the Nigerian Defence Academy, NDA.

“For Flying Officer IM Adeshina, he was the best student during his NDA,” the source said.

As families await the recovery of the remains of their loved ones, the circumstances surrounding the crash remain a major concern.

The family source said there were concerns about the weather condition in the area at the time of the incident, although the cause of the crash had not been established.

“We are suspecting weather because information in the area said the weather was not too good. But that is not our concern. Our immediate concern now is to get their corpses and those of others for burial,” the source said.

Military begins sonar survey to locate submerged NAF aircraft

As part of renewed efforts to recover the crashed plane and its occupants, an underwater survey using side-scan sonar equipment commenced mapping yesterday on crash location, with a view to determining the position of the submerged aircraft.

The sonar survey is expected to assist divers and other technical personnel in identifying the aircraft’s exact location to enable search and rescue team plan subsequent recovery operations, including the deployment of a swamp buggy to facilitate excavation in the difficult terrain.

The operation has been reinforced with Nigerian Navy divers and Nigerian Air Force drone pilots using specialised equipment to conduct precise searches across the surrounding mangrove and forested areas.

In support of the rescue efforts, the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, has deployed the Nigerian Navy Hydrographic Department with state-of-the-art sonar scan equipment to get a clear underwater picture of the mapped area due to the turbidity of the swamp.

This is in addition to continuous efforts by the Nigerian Navy Air Arm in the recovery operation.

The development followed an assessment visit to the crash site by the Flag Officer Commanding, Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Abubakar Abdullahi Mustapha, and the Air Officer Commanding, Logistics Command, Nigerian Air Force, Air Vice Marshal Abubakar Abdul Suleh.

The visit was in respect of the NAF ATR-42 aircraft with tail number NAF 931 that crashed in the area.

The delegation was received at the Officers’ Mess of the Forward Operating Base, FOB, Igbokoda, by the Commanding Officer, Navy Captain Andy Alemongwa.

At the base, government officials, community leaders, emergency management agencies and other stakeholders had gathered to express condolences and support for the Armed Forces.

Those present 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, alongside personnel of other security agencies.

Rear Admiral Mustapha conveyed the appreciation of the Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, and the service chiefs to Ondo State government, communities, emergency agencies and other stakeholders for their support since the incident.

He urged stakeholders to remain calm and continue to cooperate with the agencies involved in the recovery operation.

The FOC also expressed appreciation to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, as well as Hi-Tech and AUC Construction companies for providing mechanised equipment to support the recovery efforts.

The delegation, accompanied by selected stakeholders, subsequently travelled by boat to the crash site for an on-the-spot assessment of the ongoing operation.

They assessed the situation and provided technical guidance aimed at facilitating the timely recovery of the submerged aircraft and its contents.

The team later visited the swamp buggy launching point, where Rear Admiral Mustapha interacted with the technical crew and encouraged them to intensify efforts towards prompt execution of the recovery operation.

Peter Obi visits NAF HQ, signs condolence register for crash victims

n a related development, the presidential candidate of Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, Peter Obi, visited the Nigerian Airforce facility in Abuja to sign the condolence register for personnel who died in the recent military aircraft crash, describing their deaths as a painful loss to the nation.

Obi, who disclosed the visit in a post shared on his official X account, praised the courage and dedication of members of the Armed Forces and other security agencies, noting that they continued to risk their lives daily to defend Nigeria and keep citizens safe.

“The visit gave me another opportunity to reflect on the sacrifices made daily by the men and women of our Armed Forces and other security agencies in the line of duty.

“These courageous Nigerians put their lives on the line to defend our nation and protect our people. We must never take their service and sacrifice for granted,” he wrote.

The former Anambra State governor also extended his condolences to the Nigerian Air Force and the families of the deceased personnel.

“I extend my deepest condolences to the Nigerian Air Force and to the families, colleagues, and loved ones of those who lost their lives,” Obi said.

Praying for the victims, he said: “May God grant eternal rest to the departed and give their families the strength and fortitude to bear this painful loss.”

He also offered prayers for security personnel still serving across the country, saying “May God continue to protect all those who serve our country.”

Keyamo, CAS meet, resolve to close gap on civil-military aviation safety dichotomy

Similarly, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, yesterday met with the Chef of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, over the strict dichotomy between civil and military aviation, which has now been narrowed.

Following the meeting, the duo agreed to deepen collaboration between the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, and the Nigerian Air Force, NAF, in the areas of aviation safety, airworthiness, certification, training and capacity building.

The agreement, reached when the aviation minister paid condolence visit to the Chief of Air Staff, followed the tragic Nigerian Air Force aircraft crash at Igbokoda on Monday.

Keyamo, after the agreement, expressed deep sympathy to the Nigerian Air Force, describing the incident as a national tragedy, even as he commended the gallantry and sacrifices of the men and women of the Air Force.

“We value the Air Force. We value the efforts of the gallant men and women of the Air Force and what they do for the country,” he said.

Keyamo stressed that tragedies within the aviation sector do not distinguish between military and civilian operators, noting that both sectors ultimately served the same country and protect the same citizens.

According to him, the incident has further strengthened the need for greater cooperation and sharing of expertise between the two sides.

“It is one country, one people. When disaster happens, it affects everybody. There were civilians in that air crash and when there’s an air crash in the civil aviation too, there can be military personnel. And so, it is important we cooperate in the area of safety,” Keyamo said.

The Minister noted that the Nigerian Air Force already relied on civil aviation infrastructure, particularly air traffic control, adding that the existing relationship should now be expanded into a more structured partnership.

The Minister disclosed that he had already contacted the Director-General of the NCAA and facilitated direct communication between the NCAA leadership and the Chief of Air Staff.

“We have decided that we will cooperate in terms of capacity building,” he said.

Keyamo announced that a joint committee involving the NCAA and the Nigerian Air Force would be established to facilitate collaboration in airworthiness, certification, training and other aviation safety measures, while respecting the statutory mandates of both institutions.

He assured further the Chief of Air Staff that personnel of the Nigerian Air Force would be given access to relevant training opportunities undertaken by the civil aviation authorities.

“There is no reason we cannot take some names from the Air Force. We have a lot of training we go for, so there is no reason we cannot,” he said.

He also acknowledged that the Nigerian Air Force possessed specialised expertise that would be beneficial to the civil aviation sector, describing the proposed relationship as a mutually beneficial exchange of knowledge and experience.

“This is a kind of cross-pollination and symbiotic relationship we have decided to build for the safety of the lives of Nigerians,” Keyamo stated.

Responding, the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, thanked the minister for the condolence visit and for his continued support for the Nigerian Air Force.

He described the Minister’s gesture as a demonstration of the strong relationship that had developed between the civil and military aviation sectors under his leadership.

The air chief disclosed that both institutions had already commenced discussions on a framework that would enable personnel from the civil aviation sector contribute to the Air Force’s safety environment, particularly in the areas of airworthiness and certification, while Air Force personnel would also contribute their expertise to the civil aviation sector where required.

“We have both agreed that we need to move the aviation industry, whether military or civil, to a higher level,” Air Marshal Aneke said.

He welcomed the Minister’s offer of training opportunities for Air Force personnel, stressing that the initiative would strengthen capacity and enhance aviation safety across the country.

While also emphasising that the two institutions had a shared responsibility to protect Nigerian lives, the air chief said: “We are serving the same government; we are protecting the same Nigerians. So we are just a blend of each other.’’

The new partnership is expected to promote greater information sharing, technical cooperation, professional training and safety collaboration between Nigeria’s civil and military aviation authorities. (Vanguard)

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