Squadron Leader of the Nigerian Air Force, Aham Man Ugweje, has been identified as the pilot of the military aircraft that crashed in Igbokoda, Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State.

The aircraft, an ATR-42-500MP Maritime Patrol aircraft with registration number NAF 931, was on a routine mission from Benin to Lagos when it crashed on Monday.

The aircraft is operated by the 81 Air Maritime Group based in Benin City, Edo State, and is one of two ATR-42 aircraft in the Nigerian military’s fleet used for Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance operations as well as limited transport duties.

Military sources said Ugweje was piloting the aircraft, while a technician identified as Samuel Victor was also on board.

A senior Air Force officer said the aircraft was attached to Squadron Leader MM Haruna, but Ugweje was the officer operating it at the time of the crash.

Another military source said Ugweje had recently married, describing him as the pilot of the ill-fated aircraft.

Sources also disclosed that some newly commissioned pilot officers were among those on board.

However, their identities have not been released as their families were yet to be officially notified.

The ATR-42 aircraft was acquired by the Nigerian military under a $73 million agreement signed in 2007 with Alenia Aeronautica, now known as Leonardo, and was delivered in December 2010.

Military sources said the aircraft was taken to Germany in January 2022 for Periodic Depot Maintenance at the Rheinland Air Service facility in Mönchengladbach.

It reportedly remained there for almost four years before returning to Nigeria in late December 2024.

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, had earlier disclosed that air traffic controllers lost contact with the aircraft at about 9:13am on Monday while it was flying from Benin to Lagos.

Keyamo said efforts to re-establish radio communication with the aircraft were unsuccessful before authorities received confirmation that it had crashed near the Naval Base in Igbokoda.

The Nigerian Air Force, through its Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, confirmed the crash and said it had immediately commenced search and rescue operations in collaboration with relevant authorities.

Preliminary information from the authorities indicated that 25 passengers and seven crew members were aboard the aircraft, bringing the total number of occupants to 32.