By George Omag
The United States Mission in Nigeria has expressed condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of those who lost their lives in the Nigerian Air Force aircraft crash in Igbokoda, Ondo State.
The U.S. Mission conveyed its sympathy in a message shared on its official X account on Tuesday, following the crash of NAF 931, an ATR-42 aircraft that went down in the Igbokoda area of Ilaje Local Government Area on Monday, October 5.
“The US Mission in Nigeria sends our deepest condolences to the families, friends, and colleagues of those lost in yesterday’s Nigerian Air Force crash,” the mission said.
It added: “We stand with the people of Nigeria and remain committed to our strong security partnership.”
The aircraft was on a routine mission from Benin City to Lagos when contact was lost. The wreckage was subsequently located near a naval base in Igbokoda.
The Nigerian Air Force later confirmed that 25 people — five crew members and 20 passengers — were aboard the aircraft and that there were no survivors.
The crash has triggered widespread mourning across Nigeria, with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu declaring three days of national mourning and ordering a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the accident.
The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, has also ordered a comprehensive investigation, while the Defence Headquarters said the inquiry would seek to establish the cause of the crash.
The U.S. condolence message adds to international expressions of sympathy following the tragedy, as families, colleagues and the Nigerian military mourn those who died.
The incident has also underscored the longstanding security relationship between Nigeria and the United States, which the U.S. Mission said remained strong despite the tragedy.
The investigation into the cause of the crash is ongoing.
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