By Opeyemi Adelakun
Human rights lawyer Tope Temokun has demanded an independent investigation into the Nigerian Air Force aircraft crash at Igbokoda, Ondo State, calling for the preservation of evidence, public disclosure of findings and accountability for any negligence established.
Temokun also threatened to approach the court if the government fails to constitute an independent investigative panel and make its findings public.
The lawyer disclosed that he had submitted a formal letter to the Chief of the Air Staff, demanding a comprehensive investigation into the October 5 crash, which reportedly claimed 25 lives, including military personnel and civilians.
In a statement issued after submitting the letter on Thursday, October 8, Temokun said copies had also been delivered to the offices of the Attorney-General of the Federation, Minister of Defence and Chief of Defence Staff.
The demand follows reports by the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR) and SaharaReporters concerning the aircraft’s maintenance history before the fatal flight.
According to Temokun, an ICIR investigation published on October 6 reported that the aircraft, identified as NAF 931, had spent an extended period at an aircraft maintenance facility in Germany before returning to Nigeria in December 2024.
He also cited a SaharaReporters report published on October 7, which alleged that the aircraft underwent unscheduled technical rectification in Benin City on the day before the crash.
Temokun stressed that the reports required investigation and did not, on their own, establish that maintenance failures caused the accident.
He asked the Nigerian Air Force to explain the nature of the reported technical problems, the work carried out on the aircraft, the inspections conducted before its return to service and the authority responsible for approving its operation.
In his formal letter to the Chief of the Air Staff, dated October 8, the lawyer requested the preservation of maintenance logs, defect reports, engineering records, inspection documents, airworthiness authorisations, flight records, communications and other evidence relevant to the crash.
He also called for the secure preservation of recovered wreckage, aircraft components and any flight-data or cockpit-voice recording devices fitted to the aircraft.
The lawyer urged the Air Force to ensure that investigators were technically competent and sufficiently independent of any personnel or command structures whose actions might come under scrutiny.
He further requested that the investigating body’s composition, terms of reference and procedures for communicating its findings to the victims’ families and the public be disclosed.
Temokun said the families deserved reliable information about the circumstances surrounding the deaths of their loved ones rather than being left to depend on unofficial reports and speculation.
He also called for an institutional review of previous fatal Nigerian Air Force aircraft accidents to determine whether earlier investigations had identified recurring safety problems and whether their recommendations had been implemented.
According to him, such a review should cover maintenance procedures, airworthiness certification, technical supervision, personnel training, operational risk assessment and compliance with previous safety recommendations.
The lawyer cited Section 33(1) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, and Article 4 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights in arguing that the protection of life requires reasonable preventive measures and effective investigations where deaths may involve failures by state institutions.
He requested written confirmation within 48 hours that evidence relating to NAF 931 had been secured and preserved, as well as a substantive response within seven days addressing the investigation and proposed safety reviews.
In his subsequent public statement, Temokun questioned how military aircraft carrying human lives were being maintained, contrasting the concerns he raised with the comfort expected by public officials travelling by road.
He maintained that the crash should not end with expressions of condolence, insisting that the authorities must explain what happened and identify measures to prevent a recurrence.
The Nigerian Air Force had earlier announced that an investigation into the crash would be conducted. The allegations concerning the aircraft’s maintenance history and any possible contribution to the accident remain subject to verification through the investigation.
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