Nigeria has recorded at least 10 military aircraft crashes between 2021 and October 2026, resulting in at least 68 confirmed and presumed deaths, according to an analysis of military aviation incidents.
The crashes involved fighter jets, helicopters, training aircraft, transport planes and unmanned aerial vehicles deployed for combat operations, training, routine missions, casualty evacuation and other activities.
The latest incident occurred on Monday when a Nigerian Air Force ATR-42 aircraft, NAF 931, crashed in the Igbokoda area of Ilaje Local Government Area, Ondo State. The aircraft was travelling from Benin City to Lagos when air traffic controllers lost contact with it. All 25 people on board, including 20 passengers and five crew members, were confirmed dead.
The crash has renewed concerns about the safety of Nigeria’s military aviation fleet and prompted calls for a comprehensive review of aircraft maintenance, airworthiness standards, operational procedures, safety oversight and accident investigation.
Aviation analyst and member of the Aviation Round Table, Olumide Ohunayo, said the frequency of military aircraft accidents showed the need for the Nigerian Air Force to urgently review its safety systems.
He called for stronger collaboration between the Nigerian Air Force, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority and the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau, arguing that military aviation safety should involve civilian aviation professionals where necessary.
Ohunayo also urged the military to review its operational manuals and procedures and conduct wider safety audits covering military and paramilitary aviation operations.
Another aviation expert, Group Captain John Ojikutu, said the increasing use of military aircraft for internal security operations should also be examined as part of efforts to improve safety.
The incidents recorded in recent years have occurred under different circumstances, and available information does not establish a single cause for the crashes. Experts therefore called for thorough investigations into individual incidents before conclusions are drawn.
The Nigerian Air Force ATR-42 fleet has also come under scrutiny following the latest crash. The aircraft involved, NAF 931, was acquired under a 2007 contract and has been in service for more than 16 years. It underwent maintenance in Germany in 2022 before returning to Nigeria in 2024.
The crash site in Igbokoda, located in a swampy area, has also posed challenges for recovery operations, with specialised swamp buggies deployed to access the submerged wreckage.
Following the incident, President Bola Tinubu directed the Nigerian Air Force to investigate the cause of the crash and declared three days of national mourning for the victims. The Defence Headquarters also ordered a probe into the circumstances surrounding the accident.
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