The Board of Trustees and the National Leadership of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), on behalf of the people of the South-South geopolitical zone, have received with deep shock and pain the tragic news of the crash of a Nigerian Air Force aircraft. This sad event occurred on Monday, 5th October 2026, in the vicinity of Igbokoda, Ondo State. Even more shocking is the fact that, so far, none of the 27 crew members and passengers have been recovered alive, as the aircraft sank into the deep waters of that sandy terrain.
Although we, as a people from the South-South are grievously affected, as several of our sons are among those listed as victims of this loss, we nonetheless convey our heartfelt condolences to all the families directly affected as well as to the Nigerian Air Force, the Federal Government and all the people of Nigeria. More painful is the fact that most of the deceased were young Nigerians who have now laid down their lives for the peace and security of our nation during the line of duty. There is no greater sacrifice than this, and Nigeria will always honour them individually and collectively.
Even as the country continues to observe the national days of mourning, we call on all our citizens to offer special prayers for the affected families and for our brave men and women serving in various theatres and operational duties.
This tragic occurrence also underscores the imperative need for the Federal Government to prioritize continuous investments in the combat readiness and equipment maintenance of our military personnel. Furthermore, we urge a thorough and full investigation to ascertain all available circumstances that might have contributed to this and similar calamities.
Finally, PANDEF calls on all Nigerians at all levels to unite around our government to instill peace and security across our during this period when our nation is confronted with diverse security threats and challenges to the wellbeing of ordinary citizens.
Godknows Boladei Igali, PhD, OON
National Chairman
6th October, 2026