NOA condoles NAF, families of fallen officers, commits to national flag observance

The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has expressed condolences to the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) and the families of fallen officers who died in a recent air crash. The Director General of NOA, Lanre Issa-Onilu, described the loss as a painful moment for the nation, noting that the personnel's service was marked by courage, conviction, and commitment to Nigeria.

According to reports, a military aircraft with tail number NGR 931 crashed in Ondo State on Monday, October 5, 2026, shortly after taking off from Benin City. The Punch Nigeria reported that 25 military personnel were killed in the crash, while another report from the same outlet stated that 32 personnel died. The aircraft was travelling to Lagos when air traffic controllers lost contact with it at about 9:13 am. The crash occurred in a swamp in Igbokoda, the headquarters of Ilaje Local Government Area in Ondo State.

Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, also commiserated with President Bola Tinubu, the NAF, and the families of the victims. He extended his condolences to the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, and expressed sadness over the tragedy.

Brief written by urgent.news from Premium Times, Punch Nigeria, Punch — 3 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.