Upon resumption from its two weeks break, The Nigerian Senate has resolved to investigate budgetary allocations and funding for Nigerian Air Force aircraft maintenance following a crash in Ondo State that claimed the lives of 25 military personnel and seven crew members.
The federal Lawmakers called on the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau to conduct a thorough, transparent and comprehensive investigation into the immediate and remote causes of the crash and make its findings public.
The resolution follows a motion sponsored by the Chairman Senate Committee on Air Force, Senator Osita Ngwu, at plenary on Tuesday.
Ngwu recalled that a Nigerian Air Force ATR-42 aircraft, with number NGR 931, crashed near the Naval Base in Igbokoda, headquarters of Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, on October 5, 2026, while on a routine mission from Benin City to Lagos.
The Senate expressed concern over recurring military aircraft accidents, raising questions about maintenance practices, the condition of ageing aircraft and compliance with operational safety standards.
The Senate also mandated its Committees on Air Force and Aviation to visit the crash site, engage with Air Force authorities and conduct an oversight assessment of the serviceability and airworthiness of aircraft in the military fleet.
The Senate further urged the Federal Government to prioritise regular maintenance and the replacement of ageing military aircraft to protect the lives of service personnel and prevent future accidents.
The lawmakers thereafter observed a minute’s silence in honour of those who lost their lives in the crash.
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(Editor: Nkoli Omhoudu)
