Tributes have flooded social media for three Nigerian Air Force (NAF) officers who died in the ATR-42 aircraft crash in Igbokoda, Ondo State, on October 5, 2026. The deaths have been described by mourners as heartbreaking for the families and the entire military community. President Bola Tinubu has declared a three-day mourning period for the victims and sent condolences to the NAF and the Nigerian military.
Squadron Leader Ahamefule Man-Ugwueje: Married Just 16 Days Before the Crash
Among the deceased was Squadron Leader Ahamefule Man-Ugwueje, a pilot whose life had taken a joyful turn weeks before the tragedy. According to Daily Trust, Man-Ugwueje married his colleague, Flight Lieutenant Damilola Adekunle, on September 19, 2026, at the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), The Master's Place, Plot 826, Solomon Lar Way, opposite the NHIS Headquarters, Utako, Abuja.
The couple's reception was held at the Nigerian Army Conference Centre, Km 10 Expressway, Asokoro, Abuja. The wedding invitation identified him as the son of a retired Group Captain. Sixteen days after exchanging vows, he was gone. His widow, Flight Lieutenant Damilola Adekunle, is herself a serving NAF officer.
Flying Officer IM Adeshina: Commissioned Just Nine Days Before the Crash
Few stories from the crash are as stark as that of Flying Officer IM Adeshina, a young officer who had only just been welcomed into the Nigerian Air Force. Adeshina graduated as the best cadet of Branch Commission Course 3 and was commissioned as a flying officer on September 26, 2026. At his commissioning ceremony, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, personally presented a plaque to him in recognition of his achievement. Nine days later, he was among those who perished in the Igbokoda crash. On Tuesday, tributes flooded Facebook from colleagues and loved ones who remembered him as a shining example of dedication and promise.
Flight Lieutenant IS Bako: Co-Pilot Promoted Barely a Year Before the Crash
Flight Lieutenant IS Bako served as the co-pilot on the ill-fated flight. He joined the Nigerian Defence Academy as a member of the 67th Regular Combatant Course in September 2015 and was commissioned into the NAF as a pilot officer in October 2020. He had only recently climbed the ranks, receiving his promotion to flight lieutenant in September 2025, barely a year before his death. A tribute shared by colleagues described the deaths of the three officers as a "painful exit" and said they had "paid the supreme sacrifice."
The crash claimed the lives of these officers at defining moments in their personal and professional lives, leaving behind families and a military community in grief.
