NAF, Keyamo Give Different Number Aboard Crashed Aircraft

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, and the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) have given different figures for the number of people aboard the NAF ATR-42 aircraft that crashed in Igbokoda, Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State.

While Keyamo initially said 32 people were on board the aircraft, comprising 25 passengers and seven crew members, the Nigerian Air Force later disclosed that the aircraft carried 25 people — five crew members and 20 passengers.

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The NAF subsequently released the names of all 25 occupants and confirmed that no survivor had been found following the crash.

The aircraft, designated NAF 931, was on a routine mission from Benin to Lagos when it crashed in the Igbokoda area near the Naval Base.

In a statement, the Director of Public Relations and Information of the Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, said all 25 occupants had been accounted for.

The five crew members were identified as Squadron Leader M.I. Aburime, the flight captain; Squadron Leader A.P. Man-Ugwueje, co-pilot; Flight Lieutenant I.S. Bako, co-pilot; Warrant Officer A. Abubakar, aircraft technician; and Corporal H.C. Uguru, aircraft technician.

The 20 passengers were identified as Flight Lieutenant T.L. Lazarus, Flight Lieutenant M. Akinloye, Flying Officer I.M. Adeshina, Master Warrant Officer F. Onwuka, Master Warrant Officer B.A. Matini, Warrant Officer F.S. Nuhu, Flight Sergeant R.B. James, Flight Sergeant A.I. Mohammed, Sergeant A.E. Ani, Sergeant S.I. Izibenikien, Sergeant C. Alafuka, Sergeant A.N. Mbadugha, Lance Corporal F.C. Ugwuba, Lance Corporal G.E. Eledan, Mrs Nneka Ezeh, Godstmine Tarabina, Joy Micheal, Sunday Micheal, Ukeme David and Gideon Omotola.

According to the NAF, search-and-rescue operations were activated immediately in collaboration with relevant authorities following the crash.

“No survivors have been found,” the Air Force said.

The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, expressed condolences to the families, colleagues and associates of those who lost their lives in the accident.

Aneke also directed a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash, including the factors that led to the aircraft going down.

The NAF urged members of the public to avoid speculation and the circulation of unverified information regarding the incident, stressing the need to respect the privacy of the victims and their families.

The Air Force also announced that a condolence register had been opened at its headquarters in Abuja for government officials, members of the diplomatic corps, security chiefs and other well-wishers.

Keyamo’s Earlier Account

The discrepancy in the figures emerged after Keyamo issued an initial statement concerning the crash.

According to the minister, air traffic controllers alerted him at about 9:13 a.m. that a military aircraft with tail number NGR 931, travelling from Benin to Lagos, had lost contact.

Keyamo said attempts were made to establish communication with the aircraft before authorities subsequently confirmed that it had crashed near the Naval Base in Igbokoda.

“The wreckage has been located, and search and rescue operations are ongoing,” the minister said in his initial statement.

At that stage, Keyamo stated that 32 people were aboard the aircraft, consisting of 25 passengers and seven crew members.

The minister also clarified that military aviation operations fall outside the regulatory jurisdiction of the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

He said he had spoken with the Chief of the Air Staff and assured that the ministry would provide necessary support to the ongoing search-and-rescue efforts.

The NAF’s subsequent statement, however, provided a different account, putting the total number of people aboard NAF 931 at 25.

The Air Force’s figure comprises 20 passengers and five crew members, with the service releasing the names of all those listed as occupants and confirming that none survived.

The conflicting figures have raised questions about the initial information available to authorities following the crash. However, neither the NAF nor the Ministry of Aviation has publicly explained the reason for the difference between the preliminary figure given by Keyamo and the later manifest released by the Air Force.

The cause of the crash also remains under investigation. The NAF has directed a comprehensive inquiry and urged the public to rely on official information as investigators work to establish what happened to the aircraft.

The Igbokoda tragedy has therefore left two key issues at the centre of public attention — the circumstances surrounding the crash and the discrepancy between the initial passenger figure released by the Aviation Minister and the final figure provided by the Nigerian Air Force.