A grieving brother has accused the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) of lying about the crash that killed his sister, a sergeant in the service. He claims the aircraft developed a technical fault before the fatal flight. However, the NAF has not publicly responded to his allegations, and investigators have yet to announce a cause.
The man shared his claims in an emotional video that is spreading on Facebook. “Who flies in a faulty aircraft?” he asks at the start. He then promises to present evidence, including the last message his sister sent him on Monday. Moreover, he says the timestamp on that message supports his account.
NAF 931, an ATR 42 aircraft, crashed on Monday, October 5, near the naval base in Igbokoda, Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State. The plane was flying from Benin City to Lagos. The Air Force later confirmed that all 25 people on board died, including 20 passengers and five crew members. Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo had earlier put the number at 32, and officials have not explained the gap.
The brother challenges the Air Force’s description of the flight. Spokesman Ehimen Ejodame called it a “routine mission.” The brother disagrees sharply. “That wasn’t a routine mission,” he says. According to him, his sister’s message mentioned a “snap,” which he describes as a mechanical fault that needs checking. He adds that the aircraft came from Abuja and stopped in Benin on Sunday night for inspection. Officials then told the passengers to wait, sleep, and return later, he says.
Furthermore, he raises questions about the welfare of service members. He wonders how a sergeant with more than 11 years in the force could lack 17,000 naira in her account. He says his sister struggled with money for years. Therefore, he believes the Air Force is downplaying the severity of the incident. “Why is the force bringing out false narratives to make it look less severe?” he asks.
He also points to the service’s record. “They’ve had crashes upon crashes,” he says, and he urges the public to check the numbers for the last ten years. Sojworldnews has not verified that claim.
Meanwhile, he says the family has heard nothing. As next of kin, he has waited five days without any information. “How am I supposed to control my mother?” he asks, noting that his sister was her first child. He says the loss has torn his family apart, along with the families of the other victims.
The Air Force released the names of the 25 victims on Tuesday, October 6, in a statement signed by Air Commodore Ejodame. Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, called the crash “a deeply painful moment for the Nigerian Air Force and the nation.” Also, President Bola Tinubu declared three days of national mourning and ordered a “thorough investigation into the cause of the crash.” In addition, the Nigeria Governors’ Forum expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy.
The ATR-42 commonly serves the Nigerian military for surveillance and for moving personnel and supplies. Residents told the Associated Press that the aircraft went down near a river and partially sank in the water. Rescuers searched the area by boat in the hours that followed.
Sojworldnews could not independently verify the brother’s claims or the messages he describes. Until investigators publish their findings, those claims remain allegations. Still, his plea highlights a wider demand from grieving families: timely information and a transparent inquiry. Consequently, many Nigerians now watch closely to see whether the probe will answer the questions he raises.
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