Ondo crash: ADC questions N4.5bn NAF aircraft maintenance release, seeks audit
The ADC has called for an audit of NAF aircraft maintenance funds after a crash in Ondo, questioning the disparity in funding with the Presidential Air Fle Read More:…
The Nigerian Air Force has in recent years grappled with a string of air mishaps, often blamed on ageing aircraft, delayed maintenance and funding shortfalls, raising recurring questions about how defence budgets earmarked for equipment upkeep are spent. The ATR-42 is a twin-engine turboprop used by several African air forces for transport and surveillance duties, and crashes involving military aircraft typically trigger calls for probes into procurement and maintenance contracts.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC), one of Nigeria's opposition parties, has now waded into the aftermath of the Igbokoda, Ondo State crash, pressing for an independent audit of a N4.5 billion maintenance budget release to the Air Force. Both Tribune and Punch report the party's demand, with Punch adding that the ADC specifically flagged a disparity between funding allocated to NAF aircraft upkeep and that reserved for the Presidential Air Fleet, an issue that could fuel broader debate over defence spending priorities. Details on the cause of the crash, casualties, and the government's response to the audit call have yet to be reported.