Bayelsa Governor Diri Mourns NAF Personnel Lost in Ondo Air Mishap

Senator Douye Diri, the Governor of Bayelsa State, has conveyed his deepest sympathies to President Bola Tinubu, the Nigerian Air Force, and the relatives of those who perished in the devastating air crash that claimed the lives of 25 military personnel on Monday, October 5, 2026.

In a formal statement released on Tuesday by his Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Alabrah, Governor Diri also extended his condolences to Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, the Chief of Air Staff, expressing profound sorrow over the unfortunate incident.

It is recalled that a military aircraft went down in Ondo State on Monday, vanishing from radar screens shortly after its departure. This information was confirmed by a senior Air Traffic Controller with knowledge of the aircraft's final flight path. The ill-fated aircraft, identified by its tail number NGR 931, was en route from Benin City, the capital of Edo State, to Lagos when air traffic controllers lost communication with it around 9:13 am. It subsequently crashed into a swamp in Igbokoda, located in the Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State.

Governor Diri's statement, issued on Tuesday, read: “On behalf of the Government and People of Bayelsa State, I extend our deepest condolences to the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, the Nigerian Air Force and the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, over Monday’s tragic air crash.

“This sad incident, which resulted in the death of 32 gallant personnel of our military, particularly the Nigerian Air Force, leaves our nation in a moment of shared grief and pain. We stand in solidarity with our military, the families of the victims, and the entire nation as we pray that the Almighty God strengthen and comforts all the bereaved.”