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 local residents, security personnel and emergency responders had searched the crash site but had yet to find anyone alive.
The governor said he was informed of the crash at about 10:30am after the chairman of the local government area 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 said personnel of the Nigerian Navy initially remained at the base to determine whether the crash had triggered a fire or explosion before moving to 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 state emergency management agency, local residents and personnel of the Amotekun Corps subsequently joined the search and rescue operation.
“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,” the governor said.
Aiyedatiwa said search teams recovered parts of the aircraft, including pieces of the wings, identification cards and uniforms, which helped establish that the aircraft was a military plane.
“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, particularly because it occurred in his home state and local government area.
“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,” he said.
Aiyedatiwa expressed sympathy for the military personnel involved, describing them as officers tasked with protecting the country’s territorial integrity.
“It happens to Nigerian military officers who are assigned to protect the territorial integrity of our country and, you know, involving such accidents. So painful. So painful, but so sad,” he added.
The Telegraph had reported that the Nigerian Air Force 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.
