President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has declared three days of national mourning for air force personnel who died in the crash of a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) aircraft in Ondo state on Monday.
In a statement issued by Bayo Onanuga, special adviser to
the president on information and strategy, on Monday, Tinubu also directed that
the national flag be flown at half-mast throughout the country as a mark of
respect for the personnel.
The NAF ATR-42 aircraft crashed near a naval base in
Igbokoda, headquarters of Ilaje LGA of Ondo state, while on a routine mission
from Benin City to Lagos.
The aircraft was carrying 25 passengers and seven crew
members when it crashed.
“This is a painful moment for our Armed Forces and for the
entire nation,” Tinubu said in a condolence message to Sunday Aneke, chief of
air staff, and officers, airmen and airwomen of the air force.
“Our Air Force personnel put their lives on the line every
day to secure Nigeria, and their sacrifice will never be forgotten.”
Tinubu said he had been briefed by the chief of air staff
and directed the air force to immediately commence a thorough investigation
into the cause of the crash.
He said the investigation should help prevent similar
occurrences in the future.
“I commend the Nigerian Air Force for activating an
immediate search and rescue operation following the accident,” the president
said.
The presidency said the NAF would release the names of the
officers who died after their families had been contacted.
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