NAF NAMES 25 DEAD ON NAF 931 AND CUTS THE ONDO TOLL FROM THE 32 FIRST ANNOUNCED

The Nigerian Air Force has named the 25 people killed when its ATR 42 crashed at Igbokoda in Ondo State, and it has set the toll at 25, not the 32 given in the first official count on Monday.

Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, director of public relations and information, issued the list on Tuesday. The aircraft, registration NAF 931, was on a routine mission from Benin to Lagos when it came down on 5 October near a naval base in the Ilaje swamp. Search and rescue was opened at once with other authorities. No survivors were found.

The five crew were Squadron Leader MI Aburime, the flight captain. Squadron Leader AP Man Ugwueje, co pilot. Flight Lieutenant IS Bako, co pilot. Warrant Officer Abubakar A, aircraft technician. Corporal Uguru HC, aircraft technician.

The 20 passengers were Flight Lieutenant TL Lazarus. Flight Lieutenant M Akinloye. Flying Officer IM Adeshina. Master Warrant Officer Onwuka F. Master Warrant Officer Matini BA. Warrant Officer Nuhu FS. Flight Sergeant James RB. Flight Sergeant Mohammed AI. Sergeant Ani AE. Sergeant Izibenikien SI. Sergeant Alafuka C. Sergeant Mbadugha AN. Lance Corporal Ugwuba FC. Lance Corporal Eledan GE. Mrs Ezeh Nneka. Godstmine Tarabina. Joy Micheal. Sunday Micheal. Ukeme David. Gideon Omotola.

Fourteen of the passengers held Air Force ranks. Six names on the passenger list carry no rank. Mrs Ezeh Nneka, Godstmine Tarabina, Joy Micheal, Sunday Micheal, Ukeme David and Gideon Omotola. The Air Force did not give ages, units, hometowns or the reason any of them were on a routine flight to Lagos. It did not say whether Joy Micheal and Sunday Micheal were related.

Monday’s figure of 32 came from preliminary information given by the aviation ministry. 25 passengers and seven crew. That number was repeated in the presidency’s mourning notice. The Air Force manifest now says five crew and 20 passengers. The difference is seven. Ejodame did not explain the gap in the statement that carried the names. The list is the document the service is asking the public to use.

Chief of the Air Staff Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke sent condolences to the families, colleagues and loved ones. He directed a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances. The service said it would give timely and verified updates, and it asked the public to refrain from speculation and from passing unverified information, and to respect the privacy and dignity of the families. A condolence register is open at Air Force headquarters in Abuja for government officials, the diplomatic corps, heads of security agencies and other well wishers.

President Bola Tinubu has already declared three days of national mourning and ordered flags to half mast. The investigation he directed now has a manifest. It does not yet have a cause. Controllers lost NAF 931 at 9.13 a.m. on Monday, minutes after it left Benin. The wreckage was in the creek beside the naval base. The recorders had not been publicly recovered when the names were read out.

The 25 names are the first verified roll. Anything beyond them, including the extra seven in Monday’s count, is no longer the Air Force figure.

Crew

Squadron Leader MI Aburime, flight captain. Squadron Leader AP Man Ugwueje, co pilot. Flight Lieutenant IS Bako, co pilot. Warrant Officer Abubakar A, aircraft technician. Corporal Uguru HC, aircraft technician.

Passengers

Flight Lieutenant TL Lazarus. Flight Lieutenant M Akinloye. Flying Officer IM Adeshina. Master Warrant Officer Onwuka F. Master Warrant Officer Matini BA. Warrant Officer Nuhu FS. Flight Sergeant James RB. Flight Sergeant Mohammed AI. Sergeant Ani AE. Sergeant Izibenikien SI. Sergeant Alafuka C. Sergeant Mbadugha AN. Lance Corporal Ugwuba FC. Lance Corporal Eledan GE. Mrs Ezeh Nneka. Godstmine Tarabina. Joy Micheal. Sunday Micheal. Ukeme David. Gideon Omotola.