Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu has declared a three-day national mourning period following the crash of a military aircraft in southern Ondo State, which claimed the lives of 32 people.
Officials report the aircraft was conducting a routine flight from Benin City to Lagos when it went down near a naval installation on Monday morning.
A local resident told the BBC the plane went down near a swamp, noting that clothing and footwear were recovered from the site and smoke was still visible in the area.
Tinubu extended his deepest condolences for the 25 passengers and seven crew members on board and directed that a full inquiry be launched.
The president also instructed that national flags be flown at half-mast across the country as a sign of respect for the deceased.
“This is a painful moment for our Armed Forces and for the entire nation,” Tinubu said.
“Our Air Force personnel put their lives on the line every day to secure Nigeria. Their sacrifice will never be forgotten,” he added.
Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo earlier stated he had been informed “of the disappearance of a military aircraft with tail number NGR 931, enroute Lagos from Benin at 0913 hours earlier today”.
He noted that attempts to re-establish radio contact with the aircraft failed before confirmation that it had crashed near a naval base in Igbokoda, Ondo state.
He confirmed that search and rescue operations were continuing.
The aircraft, described as an ATR-42, has a capacity between 30 and 50 passengers, according to its manufacturers.
Tinubu has directed the Air Force to immediately launch a thorough investigation into the cause of the crash to help prevent similar incidents in the future.
The identities of those who died have not yet been released. Authorities say the names of the officers will be published only after their families have been notified.
The Nigerian Air Force plays a key role in the country’s military operations, including efforts to combat armed groups and address insecurity in several parts of the country.
The accident is among the deadliest air disasters to strike Nigeria in recent years.
In May 2021, Nigeria’s army chief, Lt-Gen Ibrahim Attahiru, was killed in a plane crash alongside 10 other officers in the north-western state of Kaduna amid bad weather.
In February of the same year, seven people died after a military plane crashed short of a runway in the capital Abuja.