A military aircraft travelling from Benin to Lagos has crashed near the Naval Base in Igbokoda, Ondo State, after air traffic controllers lost communication with the aircraft on Monday, October 5, 2026.

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, disclosed the incident in a statement posted on his official X account at about 2:07 p.m.

According to Keyamo, the aircraft, identified by its tail number as NGR 931, was en route to Lagos from Benin when air traffic controllers were alerted to its disappearance at about 9:13 a.m.

He said repeated attempts to establish contact with the aircraft by radio were unsuccessful.

“Subsequently information however confirmed that the military aircraft has crashed close to the Naval Base in Igbokoda, Ondo State,” the minister said, adding that the wreckage had been located while search and rescue operations were underway.

Preliminary information indicates that 32 people may have been on board the aircraft — 25 passengers and seven crew members. The identities and conditions of those on board had not been disclosed in the minister’s initial statement.

The circumstances surrounding the crash remain unclear, and authorities have not yet announced whether there were survivors or confirmed fatalities. Search and rescue personnel are continuing operations at the crash site, with further information expected as the situation develops.

Keyamo stressed that the control and regulation of military aircraft fall outside the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Aviation and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority. Nevertheless, he said he had spoken with the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, and pledged the ministry’s full cooperation and assistance in the ongoing search and rescue efforts.

The crash has raised immediate concerns about the safety of military aviation and the fate of those aboard the aircraft. Authorities are expected to provide more details on the circumstances that led to the aircraft’s disappearance and subsequent crash as rescue operations continue.

The Minister said further information would be made available subsequently.

A Routine Flight Turns Into A Race Against Time: Search And Rescue Underway After Military Aircraft Crashes In Ondo With 32 People Reportedly On Board.