President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has declared three days of national mourning following the military aircraft crash in Igbokoda, Ondo State, which claimed the lives of all 32 people on board.

The President also ordered that the Nigerian flag be flown at half-mast across the country as a mark of respect for the victims.

The aircraft, reportedly an ATR-42 operated by the Nigerian Air Force, was on a routine mission from Benin City to Lagos when it crashed near Igbokoda shortly after 9:00am on Monday.

A military source confirmed that all 25 passengers and seven crew members on board died in the crash.

In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu expressed his condolences to the families of the victims, the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, and the entire Nigerian Air Force.

“This is a painful moment for our Armed Forces and for the entire nation. Our Air Force personnel put their lives on the line every day to secure Nigeria. Their sacrifice will never be forgotten,” the President said.

Tinubu commended the Nigerian Air Force for quickly launching a search and rescue operation after the crash. He also praised first responders and the Ondo State Government for their efforts at the crash site.

The President directed the Nigerian Air Force to immediately begin a thorough investigation into the cause of the crash, with a view to preventing similar incidents in the future.

Aviation Minister, Festus Keyamo, also confirmed that the aircraft crashed near a naval base.

The Nigerian Air Force said the identities of the victims would be released after their families had been officially notified.

Residents around Igbokoda said they heard a loud sound around the time of the crash. Rescue teams were later seen searching the area around the river by boat.

The crash has thrown the Nigerian Armed Forces and the wider nation into mourning as efforts continue to establish the exact circumstances surrounding the tragic incident.

As preparations Governor Biodun Oyebanji’s second term inauguration commenced with the official release of programme of activities, the Planning Committee has highlighted remarkable achievements of the administration in the last four years.

Reflecting on the achievements of the administration since it assumed office in October 2022, the chairman of the Second term inauguration committee, Mr Oyeniyi Adebayo, who spoke at a press conference in Ado Ekiti on Thursday, said Ekiti people has a lot to look out for as the second term administration would usher in greater development and at a faster pace.

Adebayo who highlighted activities marking the inauguration, said the programme will be kickstarted with a Jumat Thanksgiving service at the Central Mosque, Ado Ekiti on Friday, October 2nd, while the inauguration ceremony would hold on October 16th.

Highlighting the infrastructure development of the administration, Adebayor, who is also the Chief of Staff to the Governor, noted that the completion of the Ekiti Agro-Allied International Cargo Airport, which commenced commercial flight operations in late 2025 has created opportunities for investment, tourism, trade, commerce and agricultural exports which has invariably boosted the economy of the state.

He also disclosed that the administration had completed and commissioned over 500 kilometres of inter-city and rural roads, with several other road projects currently at various stages of completion.

According to him, the administration had also provided electricity to parts of Aiyekire, Ekiti East Local Government Areas and the Ikogosi tourism belt, areas which, he said, had experienced prolonged lack of public electricity supply long before the advent of this administration.

On healthcare and education, the committee chairman said the administration had, as of 2026, renovated over 110 primary healthcare centres and all the general hospitals in the state, equipping them with modern facilities.

He added that the government had made significant investments in education, including the comprehensive renovation of 203 secondary schools, including three special schools and 950 primary schools across the state.

The committee disclosed further that the administration had also established nine ICT laboratories in selected secondary schools and technical colleges and constructed new primary schools under the Suburb Model School Project adding that Governor Oyebanji’s administration had continued to support students by paying WAEC examination fees to the tune of Two Billion, one hundred and fifty-eight million Naira (N2,158,000,000) to sixty-nine thousand (69,000) students as well as procurement of free JAMB forms to 12,400 students in four years.

While highlighting the administration’s youth-focused agricultural initiatives, the committee said over 5,000 youths have been engaged in commercial agriculture through the Bring Back the Youth into Agriculture initiative, with participants reportedly realising more than ₦1 billion in profits over the past one and a half years.

The administration, he said, had also disbursed N1.1 billion to 2,777 beneficiaries as credit and operational grants credit, N400million loan disbursed to 443 micro, small and medium-scale enterprises, provided ₦450 million in grants to 10 cooperatives involved in agro-processing and production, and facilitated free Corporate Affairs Commission registration for about 5,400 MSMEs.

Praising the Oyebanji administration on Fiscal responsibility, the chairman also drew attention to the robust fiscal management in the state, saying Ekiti had maintained a strong record of fiscal transparency and responsibility for over two years. He maintained that the state had been ranked first for nine consecutive quarters, from the second quarter of 2024 to the second quarter of 2026, in the State Fiscal Transparency League reports published by BudgIT Foundation.

Projecting into the second term tenure, the committee chairman said the theme of the inauguration, “The Good Work Continues,” reflected the administration’s intention to consolidate existing programmes while introducing further interventions aimed at strengthening the state’s economy and improving the welfare of citizens.

He said recent stakeholder engagements across the three senatorial districts, identified healthcare, electricity, roads, water supply, agriculture, human capital development and economic opportunities as areas requiring sustained consideration stressing that the major target is the expansion of rural road development, with a target of delivering up to 1,500 kilometres of roads through various interventions, including collaboration with development partners.

The chairman used the opportunity to commend the media for the symbiotic relationship with government as he described them as an important bridge between government and the people. He urged journalists to continue to provide accurate and professional coverage of the state’s activities as well as help citizens understand government policies, programmes and projects while providing broad coverage of the inauguration.

He assured the people that the administration would continue to engage stakeholders, improve service delivery and work towards ensuring that the impact of its shared prosperity agenda was felt across the state.

“As we begin preparations for the second term, the emphasis is on continuity and further development. The Governor has stated that the next phase will focus particularly on interventions that add value to the economy, improve productivity and respond to the needs and aspirations of our people. Recent engagements with stakeholders, including the just concluded Budget Tour of the three Senatorial Districts of the State have identified healthcare, electricity, roads, water supply, agriculture, human capital development and economic opportunities as areas requiring sustained attention.

“The Governor has also stated that this consultative approach, which has been a hallmark of his administration during the first term, will continue through the second term. The Administration has also announced plans to expand rural road development, with a target of delivering up to 1,500 kilometres of roads through various interventions, including collaboration with development partners.” the committee chairman said.

“Gentlemen of the Press, I want to specially acknowledge your role in this process. The media is an important bridge between government and the people. Your responsibility goes beyond reporting events. It includes informing the public accurately and helping citizens understand government policies, programmes and projects.

In attendance at the news conference were other members of the planning committee. They include the Commissioner for Information, Chief Taiwo Olatunbosun, Secretary to the State Government, Prof Habibat Adubiaro, Head of Service, Dr Folakemi Olomojobi; Chairman APC, Mr Sola Elesin, Chairman ALGON, Hon Segun Ojo; Special Adviser (Media) to the Governor, Mr Yinka Oyebode, Director General , Bureau of Comminity Comminications, Mrs Mary Oso Omotoso; and Special Assistant on Political Matters, Mrs Toyin Adepoju, among other.

Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji, and Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, have described the Chairman of Committee for the creation of Ekiti State, Chief Deji Fasuan as a distinguished statesman whose contributions to the creation of the State will remain indelible, assuring that the state will forever be grateful for his commitment to its actualization

Chief Fasuan clocked 95, on Thursday, which coincided with the 30th anniversary of the Stete, chaired the committee responsible for the creation of Ekiti State, with Governor Oyebanji serving as the committee secretary.

Governor Oyebanji, accompanied by the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, House of Representative member, Hon. Ojuawo and members of the state Executive council, Prof Bolaji Aluko and Chief Taiwo Olatunbosun, noted the significant role played by the elder statesman in the struggle for Ekiti State. The Governor noted that his leadership and dedication helped advance the aspiration of the people for a separate state.

He described the nonagenarian as a symbol of patriotism, selflessness and service, whose contribution to the political and administrative history of Ekiti state continue to provide a reference point for present and future generation.

The governor noted that the creation of Ekiti state represents the fulfillment of a long standing aspiration of its people and that the efforts of those who championed the cause, including Chief Deji Fasuan deserved lasting recognition and appreciation.

The Governor said, “thirty years ago, this house was agog because that was the day Ekiti State was created. On behalf of all Ekiti indigene at home and the diaspora, we say that your struggle, sweat and sacrifice has given the platform to serve Ekiti people, we say thank you.

“Throughout the struggle, one thing I learnt from Daddy was his integrity, commitment to excellence, courage, perseverance and sacrifice. Daddy is a tough person but through the process of the struggle, he took insults and was not annoyed for one day.

“I am happy you have seen the transformation in Ekiti in the last 30 years, yes, we have not reach the promise land but we have left Egypt, there is no doubt about that, individually we are developing, collectively we are developing and I am happy that by the grace of God and the benevolent of Ekiti people, I am in the saddle today”.

Also in his remarks, the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele also celebrated the former committee chairman for his commitment to the development of Ekiti State, describing his 95th birthday as an opportunity to reflect on the founding figures whose efforts shaped state history.

The Senate Leader, who noted that Ekiti State had continued to make steady progress, maintained that the state had recorded remarkable improvement in various areas of development in recent years.

While explaining that Chief Deji Fasuan’s greatest joy shoud be the fact that the secretary of the State Creation Committee, Governor Oyebanji, is today the Governor of Ekiti State, Senator Bamidele said the Governor is implementing the ideals and aspiration they shared during the struggle for the creation of the state.

He maintained that Ekiti had witnessed tremendous development in the last four years, particularly through Oyebanji’s effort to bring the various leaders and stakeholders together, thereby achieving the aspiration of the founding fathers for a united Ekiti state.