Senate Seeks NAF Aircraft Audit, Maintenance Funds Review After Ondo Crash Kills 32

The senate has called for a comprehensive audit of the serviceability and airworthiness of Nigerian Air Force (NAF) aircraft following a crash involving an Air Force ATR-42 aircraft near the Naval Base in Igbokoda, headquarters of Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, on October 5, 2026.

The crash reportedly claimed 32 lives.

The call followed a motion sponsored by Osita Ngwu, senator representing Enugu West, over the incident.

According to the motion, the aircraft, with tail number NGR 931, was carrying 25 passengers and seven crew members on a routine flight from Benin City to Lagos when the incident occurred.

The senate was informed that air traffic controllers lost contact with the aircraft at about 9:13 a.m. local time.

Efforts to re-establish communication through radio calls were unsuccessful, prompting a search-and-rescue operation that later located the wreckage.

Lawmakers expressed concern over recurring military aviation accidents, which have claimed the lives of military personnel and raised questions about aircraft maintenance, ageing fleets, operational safety procedures and airworthiness standards.

The senate warned that failure to conduct a transparent and comprehensive investigation could prevent authorities from identifying critical lessons needed to avert similar incidents in the future.

As part of its resolutions, the senate observed a minute’s silence in honour of the victims and extended condolences to President Bola Tinubu, the Chief of the Air Staff, the Nigerian Air Force, the Ondo State Government and the families of those who died.

The upper legislative chamber urged the Nigerian Air Force and the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) to conduct a thorough, transparent and comprehensive investigation into the immediate and underlying causes of the crash.

It also called on the relevant authorities to make the findings of the investigation public.

In addition, the senate mandated its committees on Air Force and Aviation to visit the crash site, engage with NAF authorities and conduct a comprehensive audit of the serviceability and airworthiness of aircraft in the presidential and military fleets.

The lawmakers further urged the federal government to prioritise funding for routine aircraft maintenance and the replacement of ageing military aircraft to improve operational safety.

Senator Tahir Monguno, representing Borno North, seconded the motion and called on the relevant committees to conduct a detailed assessment of the Nigerian Air Force’s aircraft fleet.

Monguno said the exercise should establish the serviceability, operational readiness and airworthiness of the aircraft to help prevent future accidents.

Senator Adams Oshiomhole, representing Edo North, also proposed an additional resolution directing the leadership of the Nigerian Air Force to submit its aircraft maintenance budgetary provisions to the relevant senate committee for scrutiny.

Oshiomhole said the senate needed to establish the amount allocated to aircraft maintenance and determine whether the funding was adequate.

Senator Titus Zam, representing Benue North-West, seconded the additional proposal, stressing the need to determine how much the Air Force received for maintenance and whether the allocation was sufficient to support safe aircraft operations.

The proposed review would broaden the senate’s inquiry beyond the technical condition of the aircraft to include the adequacy of funding for their maintenance.

The resolutions underscore the senate’s push for greater accountability in military aviation, with lawmakers seeking answers on aircraft safety, maintenance standards and the resources available to keep the Nigerian Air Force fleet operational.