President Bola Tinubu has declared three days of national mourning following the crash of a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) ATR-42 aircraft in Igbokoda, Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State.

The aircraft, carrying 25 passengers and seven crew members, went down shortly after 9:00 a.m. on Monday while on a routine mission from Benin City to Lagos.

The wreckage was found in a swampy area opposite the naval base in Igbokoda. Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa said no survivor had been found at the site, while a military source told Channels Television that all 32 people on board died.

In a statement issued by his spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu extended his condolences to the families of the victims, the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, and officers, airmen and airwomen of the Nigerian Air Force.

“This is a painful moment for our Armed Forces and for the entire nation,” Tinubu said.

“Our Air Force personnel put their lives on the line every day to secure Nigeria. Their sacrifice will never be forgotten.”

The President said the Chief of the Air Staff had briefed him on the incident and directed the Nigerian Air Force to immediately begin a thorough investigation into the cause of the crash and steps needed to prevent similar occurrences.

He also ordered national flags to be flown at half-mast across the country during the mourning period.

Tinubu commended the Nigerian Air Force for activating a search and rescue operation and praised first responders and the Ondo State Government for their response to the incident.

Vice President Kashim Shettima has also paid tribute to those who died, saying in a statement on Tuesday that their sacrifice will never be forgotten. He said the 32 people on board were more than uniforms and ranks, but husbands, wives, fathers, mothers, sons and daughters. He assured the bereaved families that the Federal Government's responsibility to them will not end with words of condolence, and reaffirmed the three days of national mourning and the directive for a thorough investigation.

The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) also expressed condolences to the Nigerian Air Force and the families of those on board.

The bureau said that because the aircraft was operated by the military, investigative responsibility rests with the Nigerian Air Force. It added that it was ready to provide technical assistance, including flight-recorder recovery and analysis, if formally requested.

The cause of the crash has not been established.

The Presidency said the Nigerian Air Force would release the names of the victims after their families had been notified.

Authorities have urged the public to rely on official information and avoid spreading unverified claims about the circumstances surrounding the accident.