A Nigerian Air Force pilot, Squadron Leader Ahamefule Man-Ugwueje, has died in the military aircraft crash that claimed the lives of all 25 people on board in Igbokoda, Ondo State.
The tragic incident occurred on Monday when an ATR 42-500MP aircraft, with registration number NAF 931, crashed while reportedly operating a routine mission from Benin to Lagos.
Man-Ugwueje, one of the aircraft’s co-pilots, was reportedly just two weeks into his marriage when the crash occurred.
He married Flight Lieutenant Damilola Adekunle on September 20 in an elaborate ceremony held in Abuja.
Photographs and videos from the wedding were shared by the wedding planner and vendors involved in the ceremony, showing the couple celebrating with family members, friends and colleagues.
The death of the Squadron Leader has therefore added another painful dimension to the tragedy, coming barely two weeks after he began his married life.
Man-Ugwueje is survived by his young wife, parents and other members of his family.
Information available on his Facebook profile reportedly listed Umuahia, Abia State, as his hometown, while Abuja was identified as his current city.
A Squadron Leader in the Nigerian Air Force is equivalent in rank to a Major in the Nigerian Army.
The Nigerian Air Force on Tuesday confirmed that all 25 people aboard the aircraft, comprising five crew members and 20 passengers, died in the accident.
The military subsequently released the names of those who lost their lives in the crash.
The aircraft went down at Igbokoda in Ondo State while on its scheduled operational flight from Benin to Lagos.
The crash has triggered concern within military and aviation circles, with attention now focused on the circumstances that led to the accident.
The aircraft involved was an ATR 42-500MP, a model that has been used by the Nigerian Air Force for several operational duties.
According to aviation records cited in reports, the aircraft was returned from storage and underwent a PDM (Planned/Preventive Depot Maintenance) in Mönchengladbach, Germany, in December 2024 after reportedly being stored since 2021.
The aircraft was said to be about 18 years old.
Before the crash, the aircraft had reportedly been used for a range of duties, including VIP movement, the transportation of students and the airlifting of military personnel.
It had reportedly remained in operational service after its return from maintenance in 2024.
The crash has nevertheless raised fresh questions about military aviation safety, aircraft maintenance and the circumstances surrounding the ill-fated flight.
Authorities are expected to establish the precise cause of the accident as investigations continue.
The tragedy has left families, colleagues and members of the Nigerian Air Force mourning the loss of the 25 people who were on board.
For Man-Ugwueje’s family, the tragedy is particularly devastating, coming only days after his wedding and the beginning of a new chapter in his life with his wife, Flight Lieutenant Damilola Adekunle.
