By Kingsley Omonobi

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has explained the discrepancy in the reported number of victims of the ATR 42 aircraft crash at Igbokoda, Ondo State, saying a misunderstanding of civil and military aviation terminology led to the initial figure of 32 persons being reported.

Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, who provided the clarification, said the confusion arose from the different ways civil aviation air traffic controllers and the military use the term “souls on board.”

Ejodame explained that while civil aviation terminology could describe the number as “25 souls on board, inclusive of seven crew,” military usage counts the seven crew members within the total figure of 25, rather than adding them to it.

He said: “For air traffic controllers, when they normally communicate ‘25 souls on board inclusive of seven crew’, it is minus the seven.

“However, for the military, the seven is in the 25. It doesn’t mean you add additional souls.

“In this case, there were 25 souls on board: five were active crew, then two were passengers, but they are crew. So, there are seven crew on board reported, but only five were flying at that time.

“The other two were on board as passengers.”

The clarification followed an earlier announcement by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, that 32 people comprising 25 passengers and seven crew members had died in the crash.

The NAF subsequently clarified that 25 people were actually on board the aircraft, comprising five crew members and 20 passengers.

The aircraft, NAF 931, crashed in the Igbokoda area of Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State while on a routine mission from Benin, Edo State, to Lagos.

Keyamo had said the aircraft disappeared from radar at about 9 a.m. local time, corresponding to 7 a.m. GMT, before it was subsequently located after crashing about halfway through its journey.

The wreckage was found in a swamp near a naval base, where it remained submerged as recovery operations continued.

The NAF later released the names of the 25 people on board, comprising five crew members and 20 passengers.

The five crew members were Squadron Leader MI Aburime, Flight Captain; Squadron Leader AP Man-Ugwueje, Co-pilot; Flight Lieutenant IS Bako, Co-pilot; Warrant Officer Abubakar A, Aircraft Technician; and Corporal Uguru HC, Aircraft Technician.

The passengers were Flight Lieutenant TL Lazarus; Flight Lieutenant M Akinloye; Flying Officer IM Adeshina; Master Warrant Officer Onwuka F; Master Warrant Officer Matini BA; Warrant Officer Nuhu FS; Flight Sergeant James RB; Flight Sergeant Mohammed AI; Sergeant Ani AE; Sergeant Izibenikien SI; Sergeant Alafuka C; Sergeant Mbadugha AN; Lance Corporal Ugwuba FC; Lance Corporal Eledan GE; Mrs Ezeh Nneka; Godstmine Tarabina; Joy Micheal; Sunday Micheal; Ukeme David; and Gideon Omotola.

The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, had expressed condolences to the families of those who died in the accident, describing the incident as a deeply painful moment for the Nigerian Air Force and the country.

The NAF said search-and-rescue procedures were activated immediately after the accident, with response efforts conducted in coordination with relevant authorities.

It added that no survivor had been found.

Investigation ongoing

On the investigation into the crash, Ejodame said the NAF was relying on established aircraft accident investigation procedures rather than an ad hoc process.

He said the Chief of the Air Staff had directed a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash, with a board of inquiry or committee constituted for the purpose.

According to him, the findings would be communicated by the appropriate board or committee after the preliminary report was concluded.

The NAF had earlier urged members of the public to refrain from speculation and the circulation of unverified information while the investigation continued.

It also appealed to the public to respect the privacy and dignity of the affected families.

A condolence register was opened at the Headquarters of the Nigerian Air Force in Abuja for senior government officials, members of the diplomatic corps, heads of security agencies and other well-wishers wishing to pay their respects to the deceased and sympathise with their families.