Nigeria mourns 32 after military plane crash in Ondo

A Nigerian military aircraft crashed on Monday morning near a swampy area in Ondo state, killing 32 people – 25 passengers and seven crew members – according to authorities.

The ATR‑42 was making a routine flight from Benin City to Lagos when it went down close to a naval base in Igbokoda, after officers on the ground reported seeing smoke rising from the wreckage and clothing scattered over the site.

President Bola Tinubu promptly declared a three‑day period of national mourning and ordered an exhaustive investigation into the cause of the crash. He also instructed that national flags be flown at half‑mast to honour the dead.

Air‑force spokesman Festus Keyamo said that search and rescue teams had been dispatched but that the identity of the victims would be released only after families had been notified.

This tragedy follows a spate of recent Nigerian military aviation accidents, including the 2021 crash that killed army chief Lt‑Gen Ibrahim Attahiru and his staff.

The incident underscores ongoing concerns about maintenance and safety protocols within Nigeria's armed forces aviation fleet.