The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) suffered one of its worst air disasters in recent years on Monday when an aircraft crashed in Ondo state, southwestern Nigeria, killing all 25 military and civilian passengers on board. The accident adds to a grim history of fatal military aviation incidents dating back to 1980.
Ondo Crash: A Recent Tragedy
The crash occurred in Ondo state, with all 25 people on board — both military personnel and civilians — losing their lives. The incident ranks among the deadliest air disasters involving the Nigerian military in recent memory, according to reports.
Nigeria operates one of the most powerful armed forces on the African continent, but its air force has suffered a series of fatal crashes over the decades. The following list compiles the major incidents since 1980, as reported by Legit.ng.
1980-2000: Early Fatal Crashes
1980: Fokker F27 Crash in Delta State
On May 26, 1980, a Fokker F27 aircraft on a flight from Lagos to São Tomé came down in Forcados, Delta state, killing all 30 people aboard. The plane was carrying a Nigerian delegation that included government officials, army officers, and journalists, according to The Punch.
1992: C-130 Hercules Disaster in Lagos
On September 26, 1992, a Lockheed C-130H Hercules transport plane crashed in the Ejigbo area of Lagos shortly after departing from Lagos airport. All 159 people on board, the majority of them military officers, were killed. There were no survivors.
1997: Training Plane Crash Near Kaduna
A Dornier Do 128 training aircraft went down on February 24, 1997, roughly three kilometres from the runway at Kaduna airport, killing all three officials on board.
2000: Dornier Crash at Warri Airport
Six people died on October 26, 2000, when another Dornier Do 128 aircraft came down while on approach to the runway at Warri airport in Delta state. Nobody survived.
2006-2019: Military Transport and Combat Losses
2006: Benue State Military Transport Crash
On September 17, 2006, a Dornier 228 military transport plane carrying 15 senior army officers and three crew members crashed in Benue state. Three of the 18 people on board survived the accident.
2015: Kaduna Military Cantonment Crash
A Dornier 228 aircraft lost control shortly after lifting off from a military air base in Kaduna and crashed into a residential building within a military cantonment, killing all seven people on board.
2019: Attack Helicopter Crash in Northeast
On January 2, 2019, an attack helicopter supporting troops engaged in counterinsurgency operations against jihadists in northeastern Nigeria crashed, killing all five crew members.
2021: Two Deadly Beechcraft King Air Crashes
February 2021: Beechcraft King Air Goes Down
On February 21, 2021, a Beechcraft King Air aircraft suffered engine failure and crashed while heading towards Abuja airport. All seven air force officials on board died. The Nigerian Air Force said the plane had been on its way to Niger state to carry out aerial reconnaissance in preparation for a mission to rescue abducted schoolgirls.
May 2021: Army Chief Killed in Kaduna Crash
A second Beechcraft King Air crash occurred in May 2021, this time at Kaduna state airport, where the aircraft went down in poor weather conditions while attempting to land. All 11 people on board were killed, including Lieutenant General Ibrahim Attahiru, who was then the commander of the Nigerian Army.
The Ondo crash on Monday, which killed all 25 aboard, underscores the ongoing risks faced by Nigeria's military aviation. The Nigerian Air Force has yet to release an official statement on the cause of the latest incident, but investigations are expected to follow, as they have after previous tragedies.
