By Clement Nwabuko
ABUJA (PRECISE POST) – A military aircraft with 32 people on board has crashed near the Naval Base in Igbokoda, Ondo State, after disappearing from radar while en route from Benin to Lagos on Monday morning.
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, disclosed the incident in a statement posted on his official X handle.
Keyamo said Air Traffic Controllers informed him of the disappearance of the aircraft, with tail number NGR 931, at about 9:13 a.m.
According to him, all attempts to establish radio contact with the aircraft proved unsuccessful before subsequent information confirmed that it had crashed close to the Naval Base in Igbokoda.
He said the wreckage had been located, while search and rescue operations were ongoing.
“Preliminary information suggests that there were 25 passengers and seven crew members on board,” the minister stated.
Keyamo clarified that the control and regulation of military aircraft were outside the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development as well as the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority.
He, however, said he had spoken with the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, and pledged the ministry’s full cooperation and assistance in the ongoing search and rescue operation.
The minister said further information on the crash would be released as it becomes available.
