Military aircraft crashes becoming too frequent — Ex-DSS chief

Mike Ejiofor, a former Director of the Department of State Services and President of the Alumni Association of the National Institute for Security Studies, has called for a comprehensive investigation into the operations, maintenance, and condition of Nigeria's military aircraft. This follows the October 5, 2026 crash of a Nigerian Air Force aircraft in Ondo State, which killed all 25 people on board, including 20 passengers and five crew members.

Ejiofor, during an interview on Arise News, expressed concern over the frequency of military aircraft crashes, stating that it has become "one too many." He emphasized the need to look beyond the immediate cause of the recent crash and investigate the overall condition of the military aircraft, their maintenance, and how long they have been in service. Ejiofor highlighted that over 10 crashes have occurred in the last decade, with the most recent incident claiming the highest number of casualties.

He also raised concerns about conflicting figures initially reported about the number of people aboard the aircraft, attributing this discrepancy to weaknesses in record-keeping. Ejiofor stated that the manifest should have clearly listed the number of people and their names, making it easier to verify the information. He further expressed concern over the difficulty in recovering the wreckage and victims due to the challenging terrain around the crash site, stressing the importance of recovering the aircraft's black boxes.

Regarding the purpose of the aircraft's journey, Ejiofor doubted that it was being used for reconnaissance given the number of people reportedly aboard. He suggested that the aircraft might have been used for conveying people, possibly for some form of abuse, to reach remote areas like Niger and Zamfara, which are not considered serious operational areas for reconnaissance flights.

Ejiofor also commented on the rescue operation, acknowledging that the proximity of a naval base and police station should have facilitated a quick response, but the terrain posed a significant challenge.