Makinde Demands Probe Into NAF Aircraft Crash, Questions Military Welfare
Presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement, APM, Governor Seyi Makinde, has called for a comprehensive investigation into the crash of a Nigerian Air Force ATR-42 aircraft near the Igbokoda Naval Base in Ondo…
Nigeria's military has recorded a string of air mishaps in recent years, often blamed on ageing aircraft, poor maintenance culture and funding shortfalls within the armed forces. Crashes involving training and transport planes have periodically reignited debate over the welfare and equipment conditions of military personnel, with critics arguing that successive governments have underinvested in airworthiness checks and personnel welfare despite rising defence budgets.
The latest incident, involving a Nigerian Air Force ATR-42 aircraft that went down near the Igbokoda Naval Base in Ondo State with fatalities, has drawn political reactions beyond the immediate military response. Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde and the Peoples Democratic Party have both called for investigations into the crash, though their statements differ slightly in emphasis — Makinde's intervention links the crash to broader questions about military welfare, while the PDP is specifically pressing for a transparent, independent probe with publicly released findings. Neither report yet details the cause of the crash, the number of casualties, or whether the Air Force or Defence Headquarters has opened its own inquiry.