President Bola Tinubu has ordered a thorough investigation into the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) aircraft crash near a naval base in Igbokoda, Ondo State, as the nation mourns the personnel involved in the Monday morning tragedy.The President, in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, expressed profound sadness over the crash involving an NAF ATR-42 aircraft on a routine mission from Benin to Lagos.
According to the statement, the aircraft was carrying 20 passengers and five crew members when the accident occurred, bringing the total number of people on board to 25.
Tinubu described the incident as a painful moment for the Armed Forces and the country, while commiserating with the families of those involved, the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, and personnel of the Nigerian Air Force.
“This is a painful moment for our Armed Forces and for the entire nation. Our Air Force personnel put their lives on the line every day to secure Nigeria. Their sacrifice will never be forgotten,” the President said.
Following a briefing from the Chief of the Air Staff, Tinubu directed the Nigerian Air Force to immediately commence a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash.
The directive, according to the President, is aimed not only at establishing what went wrong but also at preventing a recurrence of the tragedy.
Tinubu also commended the Nigerian Air Force for promptly activating its Search and Rescue operation after the accident, as well as first responders and the Ondo State Government for their swift intervention at the crash site.
He prayed for the repose of the souls of the gallant officers and asked God to grant their families and the Nigerian Air Force the strength to bear the loss.
While mourning the victims, the President reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to supporting the Nigerian Air Force in carrying out its responsibilities to the nation.
The development comes hours after reports emerged of the crash near Igbokoda, throwing the Ondo community into shock and drawing emergency responders to the scene.
With the President now ordering a full investigation, attention is expected to turn to the circumstances surrounding the aircraft’s final moments, the identities of those on board and the findings that will emerge from the official inquiry.
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