…Governor Deploys Emergency Agencies To Support NAF Search Operation
African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has called for a thorough investigation into the crash of a Nigerian Air Force ATR-42 aircraft in Igbokoda, Ondo State, with particular focus on the country’s emergency-response capacity.
The aircraft, which was reportedly on a routine mission from Benin to Lagos on Monday, crashed near the Naval Base in Igbokoda, headquarters of Ilaje Local Government Area of the state.
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, said preliminary information indicated that 25 passengers and seven crew members were aboard the aircraft, bringing the total number of people on board to 32.
Search and rescue operations were ongoing as of Monday evening.
Following the incident, Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, directed emergency and security agencies in the state to immediately support the search and rescue operation.
Aiyedatiwa also ordered security agencies to cordon off the crash site and prevent unauthorised persons from interfering with emergency responders.
The governor issued the directives after receiving reports of the crash on Monday.
According to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Ebenezer Adeniyan, Aiyedatiwa expressed sadness over the incident and sympathised with the Chief of Air Staff, officers and personnel of the Nigerian Air Force, as well as the families of those aboard the aircraft.
The governor said he had contacted the Nigerian Air Force leadership, the Chairman of Ilaje Local Government Area, Maurice Oripelaye, and security agencies deployed to the area to coordinate the state government’s response.
He directed the State Emergency Management Agency, Ministry of Health and relevant security agencies to deploy personnel and resources to support the Nigerian Air Force and other emergency responders at the crash site.
Aiyedatiwa also appealed to residents of Igbokoda and neighbouring communities to remain calm and cooperate with officials involved in the rescue operation.
He urged the public to rely on information released by relevant authorities and refrain from spreading unverified reports about the incident.
Reacting to the crash in a statement posted on his X account, Sowore expressed condolences to the families and loved ones of those aboard the aircraft and to Nigerian Air Force personnel affected by the incident.
However, he said the investigation should not be limited to determining what caused the aircraft to crash, arguing that authorities must also examine the effectiveness and speed of the emergency response.
Sowore said videos and images emerging from the crash site raised questions about Nigeria’s preparedness to respond to major disasters, particularly in difficult terrain.
“The videos and images emerging from the area raise serious questions about Nigeria’s emergency preparedness and our capacity to respond rapidly and effectively to major disasters,” he said.
The AAC candidate said Nigeria, with a population of more than 200 million people, should have adequately equipped, highly trained and rapidly deployable emergency-response teams capable of reaching difficult locations within the shortest possible time.
“At a moment when every second matters, a country of more than 200 million people should have properly equipped, highly trained and rapidly deployable emergency-response teams capable of reaching difficult terrain with the equipment required for search, rescue and recovery,” Sowore said.
He called for a transparent investigation into the cause of the crash as well as a separate assessment of the emergency response.
“There must be a thorough and transparent investigation into what caused this crash,” he said.
“But we must also investigate the emergency response — how quickly help arrived, what equipment was available, what obstacles responders encountered, and whether lives could have been saved with a better prepared system.”
Sowore said the incident should trigger a broader review of Nigeria’s disaster-management infrastructure and emergency-response mechanisms.
“A disaster is tragic. Being unprepared to respond to one makes the tragedy even more painful,” he said.
The Nigerian Air Force has confirmed that the aircraft was an ATR-42 and said it had activated search and rescue operations in coordination with relevant authorities and emergency agencies.
