Nigeria: Tinubu Declares 3-Day Mourning As 32 Die in Military Plane Crash

What the report says

President Bola Tinubu has ordered a three-day national mourning period after a Nigerian Air Force ATR-42 aircraft crashed near a naval base in the Igbokoda area of Ondo State, according to AllAfrica’s cited This Day report. The plane was on a routine trip from Benin to Lagos when it went down in swampy terrain opposite the naval base, prompting a search-and-rescue operation and an investigation into the cause of the crash.

The report said the aircraft carried 25 passengers and seven crew members. Tinubu, speaking through his adviser on information and strategy, also directed that national flags be flown at half-mast and asked the Air Force to carry out a thorough probe to help prevent a similar incident. He expressed condolences to the families of those on board and to the Nigerian Air Force.

Several agencies and officials said they were supporting the response. The Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development said it would cooperate fully with rescue efforts, while the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau said it was ready to assist if requested. The National Civil Aviation Authority also said it could provide technical help, and the Ondo State government ordered emergency and health teams to the site. The Nigerian Air Force said search and rescue operations were under way and urged the public to rely on official updates. The crash is significant because it involved a military aircraft and raised immediate questions about safety, coordination and accountability.