{
  "id": 12718224,
  "title": "Military aircraft crashes becoming too frequent — Ex-DSS chief",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/07/military-aircraft-crashes-becoming-too-frequent-ex-dss-chief",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-07T21:46:20.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Punch Nigeria",
    "slug": "punch-nigeria",
    "url": "https://punchng.com/military-aircraft-crashes-becoming-too-frequent-ex-dss-chief/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Former Director of the Department of State Services, Mike Ejiofor, has called for a comprehensive investigation into the operations, maintenance, and condition of Nigeria's military aircraft following a series of crashes. Ejiofor, a member of the Alumni Association of the National Institute for Security Studies, made the call during an interview on Arise News, expressing concern over the frequency of such incidents. He noted that over ten crashes had occurred in the past decade, including a fatal one on October 5, 2026, which claimed the lives of 25 people on board. The former military official also raised concerns over conflicting figures regarding the number of people aboard the aircraft, suggesting that poor record-keeping may be to blame. Ejiofor attributed the difficulty in recovering the wreckage and victims to the challenging terrain surrounding the crash site, emphasizing the importance of recovering the aircraft's black boxes for a thorough investigation. He also questioned the purpose of the aircraft's journey, suggesting it was unlikely to be a reconnaissance mission given the number of people on board. The former DSS chief cautioned against drawing conclusions about the cause of the crash until a comprehensive investigation is completed, acknowledging the proximity of a naval base and police station to the crash site but acknowledging the terrain's challenges.",
  "summary": "A former DSS Director, Mike Ejiofor, has called for a probe into military aircraft crashes, citing their frequency after a NAF plane crashed in Ondo. Read More: https://punchng.com/military-aircraft-crashes-becoming-too-frequent-ex-dss-chief/",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Punch",
        "title": "Military aircraft crashes becoming too frequent — Ex-DSS chief",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/07/military-aircraft-crashes-becoming-too-frequent-ex-dss-chief-12718244",
        "published": "2026-10-07T21:46:20.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}