Lucky Aiyedatiwa, governor of Ondo state, says there are no confirmed survivors yet after a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) ATR-42 aircraft crashed in Igbokoda, headquarters of Ilaje LGA, on Monday.
Aiyedatiwa spoke on Channels Television after the aircraft
crashed in a swampy area opposite a naval base in Igbokoda.
The governor said he received information about the crash at
about 10:30am from the chairman of Ilaje LGA, who informed him that an aircraft
had gone down in the area.
He said residents and personnel at the nearby naval base
initially heard a sound resembling an earth tremor before some witnesses saw
the aircraft dive into the swamp.
According to Aiyedatiwa, Nigerian Navy personnel initially
stayed back to establish that there was no risk of an explosion or fire before
moving into the area to search for survivors.
He said officials of the local emergency management agency,
residents, and personnel of the Ondo State Security Network Agency, also known
as Amotekun, joined the rescue efforts.
“But from the information we got, no single life was saved
up to this moment,” Aiyedatiwa said.
“They could not see any living soul that was in that
aircraft. But they saw the ruins, some of the breakage, the wreckage from the
wings of the aircraft. Some ID cards, and then a uniform. That was when they
knew it was a military aircraft.”
Aiyedatiwa said he had been receiving updates from his
security adviser, the local government chairman and security personnel involved
in the operation.
“No survivors yet, from the information I’ve gotten from the
people,” he reiterated.
“I have not been able to speak to the naval captain that is
leading the base, but my security adviser, the information, which he is the one
getting in contact with them, with the Amotekun leader in the local government,
and the local government chairman. From all indications, no survivor yet that
we can record.”
‘IT’S SAD SITUATION TODAY’
The governor described the crash as a painful incident,
particularly because it occurred in his home local government.
He said the victims were military personnel who were on duty
to protect Nigeria’s territorial integrity.
“It’s a sad situation today, and we are all really aggrieved
as Nigerians, and also it happened in my own state, not just my state, even my
own local government where I’m from,” he said.
“Everybody has been mourning about that which happened to
Nigerian military officers who are planning to protect the territorial
integrity of our country. So painful.”
The NAF confirmed that the aircraft was an ATR-42 and said
it was on a routine mission from Benin City, Edo state capital, to Lagos when
the accident occurred.
Ehimen Ejodame, NAF director of public relations and
information, said the air force had activated a search and rescue operation in
coordination with relevant authorities and emergency agencies.
The NAF did not initially disclose the number of people on
board or the casualties.
The aircraft is understood to have been used for
intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance as well as air maritime
operations.
President Bola Tinubu has since ordered the NAF to commence
a thorough investigation into the cause of the crash.
Bayo Onanuga, special adviser to the president on
information and strategy, said Tinubu described the incident as a “painful
moment” for the armed forces and the country.
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