{
  "id": 13595795,
  "title": "ISSUES IN THE NAF PLANE CRASH",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/11/issues-in-the-naf-plane-crash",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-11T00:20:34.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "This Day",
    "slug": "this-day",
    "url": "https://www.thisdaylive.com/2026/10/11/issues-in-the-naf-plane-crash/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) released a list of victims from the Igbokoda air crash, which claimed five crew members and 20 passengers on last Tuesday. Authorities must take notice of the frequency of these crashes beyond routine investigations, whose reports are usually hidden from the public. To prevent more disasters, aviation stakeholders urge precautionary measures. The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Kelvin Aneke, has assured a thorough investigation into the crash, a promise often made in the past without results.\n\nNigeria has experienced 13 military plane mishaps between 2015 and 2023, resulting in a minimum of 37 military officer fatalities. In 2019 and 2021, eight jets were lost, including a Beechcraft King Air B350 in February 2021, which crashed after pilots reported an engine failure. Seven military personnel died in the crash near Abuja's Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport. The most devastating crash occurred three months later at Kaduna International Airport, killing Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, and 10 other senior military officers. This echoes the September 1992 crash of a C-130 Hercules transport plane in Ejigbo, Lagos, which killed all 158 military personnel on board.\n\nA document reveals that funding for NAF aircraft maintenance is less than 20 percent, compared to over 90 percent for the Presidential Air Fleet. President Tope Fashua argues that the disparity exists because the presidential fleet falls under recurrent expenditure, while NAF falls under capital. The budgetary approvals for NAF deserve equal importance as those of the presidential fleet, whether in capital or recurrent terms. Despite the high crash rate, recent crashes could have been avoided, particularly those outside combat operation areas. Reports of maintenance breaches, age, material fatigue, and instrumentation failures could compromise the reliability of military air assets.\n\nThe administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo added 15 Chinese F-7NI aircraft to the NAF fleet in 2005/2006, of which six were lost to crashes, with few currently airworthy. We urge the federal government to closely examine airworthiness, accountability in maintenance, and spare parts procurement.",
  "summary": "The NAF fleet should be properly maintained to ensure safety The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) last Tuesday released the list of victims of the Igbokoda air crash, comprising five crew",
  "key_points": [
    "Five crew members and 20 passengers died in Igbokoda air crash on Tuesday.",
    "Nigerian Air Force vows thorough investigation into crash, a promise often unfulfilled.",
    "NAF aircraft maintenance funding is less than 20%, compared to over 90% for Presidential Air Fleet."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "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."
}