By George Ozalla
The Senate has resolved to investigate budgetary allocations for the maintenance of Nigerian Air Force (NAF) aircraft following a reported crash in Igbokoda, Ondo State, which the motion before the chamber said claimed 25 lives.
The resolution followed a motion sponsored by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Air Force, Senator Osita Ngwu, who expressed concern over recurring military aircraft accidents and called for stronger measures to improve aviation safety.
Presenting the motion at plenary on Tuesday, following the Senate’s resumption, Ngwu recalled that a Nigerian Air Force ATR-42 aircraft, with tail number NGR 931, reportedly crashed near the Naval Base in Igbokoda, headquarters of Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, on October 5, 2026, while on a routine mission from Benin City to Lagos.
The lawmaker raised concerns about the loss of military personnel in aircraft accidents and called for closer scrutiny of the maintenance of military aircraft, the condition of ageing fleets and compliance with operational safety standards.
The Senate noted that the serviceability and airworthiness of military aircraft were essential to national security, intelligence gathering and defence operations. It warned that without a transparent and thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash, the authorities might not identify the failures responsible or take adequate steps to prevent similar incidents.
Consequently, the Senate urged the Federal Government to give priority to funding the regular maintenance of military aircraft and the replacement of ageing fleets to improve safety and protect the lives of military personnel.
It also mandated its committees on Air Force and Aviation to visit the crash site, engage with Nigerian Air Force authorities and conduct a comprehensive audit of the serviceability and airworthiness of aircraft in the presidential and military fleets.
The Senate further called on the Nigerian Air Force and the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau to investigate both the immediate and underlying causes of the crash and make their findings public.
The proposed investigation is expected to examine aircraft maintenance funding and safety procedures, alongside the condition of the fleets, as the Senate seeks answers to concerns raised by recurring military aviation accidents.
