Ondo Aircraft Crash: Senate Demands Comprehensive NAF Fleet Audit

The Senate has called for a comprehensive audit of the serviceability and airworthiness of Nigerian Air Force (NAF) aircraft, as well as a review of maintenance funding, following a reported crash in Igbokoda, Ondo State, that claimed 32 lives.

The call followed a motion sponsored by Osita Ngwu, senator representing Enugu West, on the reported crash of a Nigerian Air Force ATR-42 aircraft near the Naval Base in Igbokoda, headquarters of Ilaje Local Government Area, on October 5, 2026.

According to the motion, the aircraft, with tail number NGR 931, was carrying 25 passengers and seven crew members on a routine flight from Benin City to Lagos when the crash occurred.

The Senate noted that air traffic controllers lost contact with the aircraft at about 9:13 a.m. local time. Attempts to re-establish radio communication reportedly failed before a search-and-rescue operation located the wreckage.

Lawmakers expressed concern over recurring military aviation accidents, which they said had claimed the lives of military personnel and raised questions about aircraft maintenance, ageing fleets, operational safety protocols and airworthiness.

The Senate warned that failure to conduct a transparent and comprehensive investigation could prevent authorities from identifying critical lessons needed to avert similar tragedies.

Senate Orders Investigation, Aircraft Audit

In its resolutions, the Senate observed a minute’s silence in honour of the victims and extended condolences to President Bola Tinubu, the Chief of the Air Staff, the Nigerian Air Force, the Ondo State Government and the bereaved families.

It urged the Nigerian Air Force and the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) to conduct a thorough, transparent and comprehensive investigation into the immediate and underlying causes of the crash and make their findings public.

The upper chamber also mandated its committees on Air Force and Aviation to visit the crash site, engage with NAF authorities and conduct a comprehensive audit of the serviceability and airworthiness of aircraft in the presidential and military fleets.

Read Also: EFCC Witness Makes Fraud Allegation Against Blessing CEO Over N69.15m Lease Deal

It further urged the Nigerian Government to prioritise funding for regular aircraft maintenance and the replacement of ageing military aircraft.

Tahir Monguno, senator representing Borno North, seconded the motion and called on the relevant committees to undertake a comprehensive assessment of the NAF fleet.

He said the exercise should establish the operational readiness, serviceability and airworthiness of the aircraft to help prevent a recurrence.

Adams Oshiomhole, senator representing Edo North, proposed an additional prayer seeking to compel the Nigerian Air Force leadership to submit its aircraft maintenance budgetary provisions to the relevant Senate committee for scrutiny.

Oshiomhole said lawmakers needed to establish the amount allocated for aircraft maintenance and assess the adequacy of the provisions.

Titus Zam, senator representing Benue North-West, seconded the additional prayer, arguing that the inquiry should determine how much the Air Force received for maintenance and whether the funding was sufficient to ensure operational safety.

The proposed scrutiny would extend the Senate’s inquiry beyond the technical condition of the aircraft to the financial resources allocated for their upkeep.

The Senate’s intervention is aimed at identifying possible gaps in aircraft maintenance, funding and operational safety, while ensuring that the circumstances surrounding the reported crash are thoroughly investigated and appropriate measures taken to prevent future incidents.