The Senate has resolved to investigate budgetary allocations for the maintenance of Nigerian Air Force, NAF, aircraft following a crash in Igbokoda, Ondo State, which reportedly claimed 25 lives.
The resolution followed a motion moved on Tuesday by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Air Force, Senator Osita Ngwu, concerning recurring military aircraft accidents and the need to strengthen aviation safety.
Presenting the motion during plenary, Ngwu said the NAF ATR 42 aircraft, identified in initial reports by its tail number as NGR 931, crashed near the Naval Base in Igbokoda, Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, on October 5, 2026, while on a routine mission from Benin City to Lagos.
He expressed concern that recurring military aircraft crashes had resulted in loss of lives and raised questions about aircraft maintenance, ageing fleets and compliance with safety standards.
Ngwu stressed that the operational readiness and airworthiness of military aircraft were critical to national security, intelligence gathering and defence operations.
The senator warned that failure to conduct a transparent investigation into the crash could undermine efforts to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
Consequently, the Senate urged the Federal Government to prioritise funding for regular aircraft maintenance and the replacement of ageing military aircraft to improve safety and protect personnel.
The chamber also mandated its committees on Air Force and Aviation to visit the crash site, engage NAF authorities and conduct a comprehensive audit of the serviceability and airworthiness of presidential and military aircraft fleets.
Additionally, the Senate called on the Nigerian Air Force and the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau, NSIB, to investigate the immediate and underlying causes of the crash and make their findings public.
