The Ondo State Police Command has arrested a 37-year-old driver, Ayoade Idowu, over the death of a Vehicle Inspection Office (VIO) official, Mr Adediji Sesan, in a road accident in Akure, the state capital.

The incident occurred at about 9:30 a.m. on Friday, October 9, 2026, along Hospital Road, opposite Mega Primary School, Akure.

According to a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abayomi Jimoh, preliminary information indicated that the incident involved a white Mitsubishi van with registration number AGL 992 XX.

The statement said the deceased, aged 35, was reportedly on routine patrol with his team when he flagged down the vehicle for inspection of its particulars.

The driver was said to have initially stopped but allegedly drove off when asked to produce the relevant documents, hitting the VIO official in the process.

Sesan reportedly sustained serious head injuries and was rushed to the Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA) Teaching Hospital, where he was confirmed dead by the doctor on duty.

His remains have been deposited at the hospital mortuary for preservation and autopsy.

The police said the driver had been arrested and detained, while preliminary investigations were ongoing. Police operatives have also visited the scene, with the case file expected to be transferred to the Motor Traffic Division for further investigation.

The Commissioner of Police in Ondo State, CP Felix Ohagwu, expressed condolences to the family, colleagues and associates of the deceased over the tragic incident.

He assured the public that a thorough investigation would be conducted and that appropriate legal action would follow in accordance with the law.

The command urged motorists to exercise patience, obey lawful traffic instructions and cooperate with authorised traffic enforcement officials.

It warned road users against endangering the lives of others in attempts to evade routine checks or traffic regulations.

The police reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring road safety, protecting lives and property, and maintaining law and order across the state.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) has extended its petrol sales discount across its retail stations nationwide until October 31, 2026, saying the initiative is intended to ease the impact of rising fuel prices on Nigerians.

The company said the discount, initially introduced on October 1, to commemorate Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary, would continue amid elevated global crude oil prices linked to the conflict in the Middle East.

In a statement issued in Abuja on Friday, October 9, NNPC’s Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Andy Odeh, said the initiative was part of the company’s commitment to supporting the Federal Government’s efforts to cushion the effects of rising petrol prices on households, businesses and the wider economy.

Odeh said the extension followed a statement by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, on October 8.

He acknowledged that higher petrol prices had increased the cost of commuting and running businesses, placing additional pressure on families and livelihoods.

According to him, the discount is intended to provide direct relief to customers during the period of elevated global market uncertainty.

However, NNPC stressed that the initiative should not be interpreted as a return to petroleum subsidy.

The company explained that the discount applies exclusively to NNPC Retail outlets and does not establish a uniform national pump price or alter the market-based pricing framework for petroleum products.

It added that the initiative reflected the government’s efforts to provide practical relief to Nigerians while maintaining a commercially responsible approach to its operations.

NNPC also reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring reliable petroleum product supplies and working with the government and other stakeholders to reduce the economic burden of rising fuel prices.

The company urged Nigerians to disregard claims that the discount represented a restoration of the petroleum subsidy regime, adding that it would continue to communicate clearly about its pricing arrangements and customer initiatives.

It also thanked Nigerians for their continued patronage and pledged to maintain responsible customer service and reliable product supply.

…says pilot averted bigger disaster as aircraft crashed 200m from community

Ondo State Governor, Hon. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, on Wednesday visited the scene of the Nigerian Air Force aircraft crash at Igbokoda, headquarters of Ilaje Local Government Area, ordering the continuation of search and recovery operations for the victims and the main wreckage.

Aiyedatiwa, who described the incident as a national tragedy, said no survivor had been found at the scene as of the time of his visit.

The aircraft, which was carrying Nigerian Air Force personnel on a special mission from Benin to Lagos, crashed in the Igbokoda area on Monday.

The governor said residents who witnessed the incident reported that the aircraft appeared to be coming down with a sound suggesting an engine problem and was heading towards the community before the pilot allegedly manoeuvred it away.

According to him, the aircraft eventually crashed about 200 metres from the community and plunged into the swamp.

Aiyedatiwa said the pilot’s action might have averted a greater disaster, noting that only the pilot could have explained the circumstances surrounding the manoeuvre.

He said about 25 occupants were believed to have died in the crash.

The governor, who visited the site alongside personnel of the Nigerian Navy and Air Force, divers, the Director of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in the Southwest, the State Emergency Management Agency and local residents involved in the rescue efforts, described the scene as a “very gory sight”.

He said parts of bodies, clothes, jackets belonging to Air Force personnel and broken aircraft components had been recovered and preserved for further investigation.

Aiyedatiwa said the main body of the aircraft had not been located, as it was believed to be submerged deep in the swamp.

He disclosed that the difficulty of accessing the crash site prompted him to direct the Ministry of Works to deploy two amphibious machines, popularly known as swamp boogies, to create wider access through the waterways.

According to him, the machines had enabled rescue teams to move bigger boats closer to the crash site and were also being used to excavate the soil in search of other parts of the wreckage and the main body of the aircraft.

The governor said Navy personnel and local divers were continuing the search in the deeper sections of the swamp for possible bodies and the cockpit.

He attributed the difficulty in locating the aircraft to the nature and depth of the swamp, which he said could have caused the wreckage to become deeply submerged in the mud.

Aiyedatiwa also disclosed that jet fuel was flowing into the water, resulting in aviation fuel pollution in the area.

He expressed gratitude that the aircraft did not crash directly into the community, saying such an occurrence could have resulted in a major catastrophe.

The governor commiserated with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, over the loss of the officers.

He also sympathised with the families of the deceased and the Nigerian Air Force, describing the victims as able and young Nigerians who had signed up to defend the territorial integrity of the country.

He urged Nigerians to continue praying for the families of the deceased, saying their loss was unexpected and painful.

Meanwhile, the Commander of the Nigerian Navy Forward Operating Base, Igbokoda, Captain Andy Alemongwa, briefed the governor on the progress of the search and recovery operation.

The briefing came as Navy personnel and local divers continued efforts to locate the missing bodies and the main wreckage of the aircraft.

The governor was accompanied by the Deputy Governor, Dr Olayide Adelami; Secretary to the State Government, Dr Taiwo Fasoranti; members of the State Executive Council and Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Emergency Management, Mr Wellington Oriade Adebawo.

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has released the names of the 25 personnel who lost their lives when its aircraft, marked NAF 931, plunged into the swamps of Igbokoda in Ondo State on Monday.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Director of Public Relations and Information, NAF, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, said the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, described the incident as a deeply painful moment for the Air Force and the nation.

He said the aircraft had 25 people on board, comprising five crew members and 20 passengers, adding that no survivors had been found.

The crew members were:

1. Squadron Leader M.I. Aburime (Flight Captain)
2. Squadron Leader A.P. Man-Ugwueje (Co-pilot)
3. Flight Lieutenant I.S. Bako (Co-pilot)
4. Warrant Officer Abubakar A. (Aircraft Technician)
5. Corporal Uguru H.C. (Aircraft Technician)

Passengers

6. Flight Lieutenant T.L. Lazarus
7. Flight Lieutenant M. Akinloye
8. Flying Officer I.M. Adeshina
9. Master Warrant Officer Onwuka F.
10. Master Warrant Officer Matini B.A.
11. Warrant Officer Nuhu F.S.
12. Flight Sergeant James R.B.
13. Flight Sergeant Mohammed A.I.
14. Sergeant Ani A.E.
15. Sergeant Izibenikien S.I.
16. Sergeant Alafuka C.
17. Sergeant Mbadugha A.N.
18. Lance Corporal Ugwuba F.C.
19. Lance Corporal Eledan G.E.
20. Mrs Ezeh Nneka
21. Godstmine Tarabina
22. Joy Micheal
23. Sunday Micheal
24. Ukeme David
25. Gideon Omotola

Ejodame said the aircraft was on a routine mission from Benin to Lagos when the accident occurred.

According to the statement, search-and-rescue procedures were immediately activated, with response efforts conducted in coordination with relevant authorities to locate and account for all persons on board.

He noted that while no survivors had been found, the CAS had directed a comprehensive investigation to establish the circumstances surrounding the accident.

“The Nigerian Air Force will continue to provide timely and verified updates as the investigation progresses and urges the public to refrain from speculation and the circulation of unverified information, while respecting the privacy and dignity of the affected families,” he said.

“A condolence register has also been opened at Headquarters Nigerian Air Force, Abuja, for senior government officials, members of the diplomatic corps, heads of security agencies and other well-wishers who may wish to pay their respects and convey messages of sympathy to the families of the deceased and the Nigerian Air Force.”

…commiserates with military, victims’ families

The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has said it is ready to assist the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) with the technical support it may require as it carries out search and rescue operations at the site of an accident involving a Nigerian Air Force ATR-42 aircraft in the Igbokoda area of Ondo State on Monday.

The Bureau, which commiserated with the military and the families of those on board, said it would not hesitate to deploy investigators and make use of its Flight Safety Laboratory for the recovery, readout and analysis of flight recorder data.

The Nigerian Air Force has confirmed that the aircraft was on a routine mission from Benin to Lagos when the accident occurred, adding that search and rescue operations had been activated and were ongoing in coordination with relevant authorities and emergency response agencies.

“The Bureau extends its sincere condolences to the Nigerian Air Force and to the families and colleagues of all those on board. Our thoughts are with them and with the search and rescue teams working at the site.

“The NSIB stands ready to assist the Nigerian Air Force, at its request, with whatever technical support may be required. That support can include the deployment of investigators and the use of the Bureau’s Flight Safety Laboratory for the recovery, readout and analysis of flight recorder data.

“As this occurrence involves a military aircraft, investigative responsibility rests with the Nigerian Air Force. The Bureau will provide assistance upon a formal request from the Air Force,” a statement signed by Captain Alex Badeh Jr., Director General/Chief Executive Officer, NSIB, said.

The NSIB commended the swift activation of search and rescue operations and the efforts of first responders at Igbokoda, urging the public to rely exclusively on official updates from the Nigerian Air Force on the rescue operation and any subsequent investigation.

The Nigerian Air Force aircraft marked NAF 931, which crashed in Igbokoda, headquarters of Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, on Monday, was a 16-year-old ATR-42-500MP maritime patrol aircraft delivered to Nigeria in 2010.

The aircraft was reportedly acquired under a $73 million contract signed in March 2007 during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo and delivered three years later, during the administration of the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.

According to reports by Military Africa, the aircraft spent almost three years on the ground in Germany before returning to Nigeria in late December 2024. Images from the period reportedly showed the aircraft with its right engine removed.

The reason for the prolonged stay in Germany has not been officially explained.

Since its induction into the Nigerian Air Force, NAF 931 has reportedly been operated by the 81 Air Maritime Group in Benin, Edo State, and has also been deployed for military operations, including counter-insurgency missions.

The aircraft was also involved in other military transportation duties in recent times, including the airlifting of Nigerian Air Force Military School students for resumption in different countries in April and September 2026.

The circumstances surrounding Monday’s crash, including the aircraft’s mission, the number of people on board and possible casualties, remained unclear as of the time of filing this report.

The Nigerian Air Force had yet to issue a detailed official statement on the incident.

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, said an aircraft belonging to the Nigerian Air Force(NAF) that crashed on Monday in Igbokoda, Ilaje Local Government area of Ondo State, has 25 passengers and seven crew members on board.

Keyamo explained that the aircraft, with tail number NGR 931, disappeared after air traffic controllers lost contact with it at about 9:13a.m.

The minister said the aircraft was en route to Lagos from Benin when all efforts to raise it on radio proved unsuccessful.

He said subsequent information confirmed that the aircraft had crashed close to the Naval Base in Igbokoda and that the wreckage had been located.

The minister said: “Preliminary information suggests that there were 25 passengers and seven crew members on board.”

Keyamo did not provide further details on the condition or identities of those on board, as search and rescue operations were still ongoing.

He noted that the control and regulation of military aircraft were outside the authority of the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority.

The minister said he had spoken with the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, on the incident.

He pledged the ministry’s full cooperation and assistance in the ongoing search and rescue efforts.

“Further information on this unfortunate incident will be made available subsequently,” the minister said.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has declared a three-day national mourning for Air Force personnel who died in the crash of a military plane today.

He also directed that flags should be flown at half-mast throughout the country as a mark of respect to the officers.

President Tinubu had earlier expressed profound sadness over the crash of the Nigerian Air Force ATR-42 jet.

The accident occurred near a naval base in the Igbokoda area of Ondo State.

The aircraft, carrying 25 passengers and seven crew members, was on a routine mission from Benin to Lagos when it crashed.

The Air Force will release the officers’ names after contacting their families.