Ondo Air Crash: ADC demands audit of N4.5bn NAF aircraft maintenance funds

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has called for an audit of funds released for the maintenance of Nigerian Air Force aircraft following the fatal crash of an ATR-42 aircraft in Igbokoda, Ondo State.

The opposition party also questioned the disparity between funding for the Nigerian Air Force fleet and expenditure on the Presidential Air Fleet, saying the figures raise concerns about government spending priorities.

The ADC made the demand in a statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday and signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi.

The party expressed condolences to the families of those who died in the crash but said it would not pre-empt the ongoing investigation into the cause of the accident.

Instead, it called for the maintenance history of the aircraft involved, as well as other military aircraft and defence equipment, to be examined as part of the investigation.

The aircraft, identified as an ATR-42 with tail number NGR 931, crashed near the Naval Base in Igbokoda on Monday, October 5, while travelling from Benin City in Edo State to Lagos on what the Nigerian Air Force described as a routine mission. The Federal Ministry of Aviation initially reported that 25 passengers and seven crew members were aboard.

President Bola Tinubu subsequently ordered a thorough investigation into the cause of the crash and declared three days of national mourning, with flags directed to fly at half-mast across the country.

According to the ADC, government records showed that N34.71 billion had been budgeted for the maintenance of Nigerian Air Force aircraft, but only N4.5 billion, or about 13 per cent, had been released as of December 2025.

The claim is broadly consistent with figures cited in a July 2026 report by former Chief of Defence Staff Henry Irabor, who said the Air Force aircraft maintenance budget had an approved allocation of N34.71 billion and that only about 13.9 per cent had been released.

The ADC said the low level of releases warranted scrutiny, particularly given the importance of aircraft availability and maintenance to military operations.

“Aircraft maintenance is not a luxury. It is a core component of operational readiness and flight safety,” the party said, calling for transparency over how funds earmarked for aircraft maintenance were approved, released and spent.

The party also drew attention to government spending on the Presidential Air Fleet, arguing that the comparison raised questions about the allocation of public resources between executive air travel and military aviation.

Available budget records show substantial allocations for maintenance and engine-overhaul projects involving the Presidential Air Fleet. For example, the 2025 executive budget included N5.51 billion for the overhaul of engines on one presidential aircraft and N3.13 billion for the overhaul of two Falcon 7X engines.

More recent analysis of government spending also found that engine-overhaul projects across the Presidential Air Fleet attracted billions of naira in allocations between 2024 and 2026.

However, the figures relate to different aircraft, budget lines and operational requirements and do not by themselves establish that inadequate funding caused the Ondo crash.

The ADC therefore urged the government to make public the aircraft’s maintenance records, including its previous servicing history, repairs, inspections and the circumstances surrounding its deployment for the flight.

The call comes as questions are emerging about the history of the aircraft. The International Centre for Investigative Reporting reported that NAF 931 had spent several years at a specialist maintenance facility in Germany before returning to service.

The report said aviation records indicated that the aircraft arrived at a maintenance facility in Mönchengladbach, Germany, in January 2021, with several components removed during the period it was there. However, the available information does not establish that the aircraft’s maintenance history contributed to the crash.

The Nigerian Air Force has not publicly identified the cause of the accident. The service activated a search-and-rescue operation immediately after the crash, while President Tinubu directed a formal investigation.

The ADC said the investigation should therefore examine all possible factors, including maintenance, aircraft serviceability, operational procedures and funding, rather than reaching conclusions before investigators complete their work.

The party also urged the Federal Government to ensure that the investigation is transparent and that its findings are made public.

As recovery and investigative efforts continue, the crash has renewed attention on the condition and funding of Nigeria’s military aviation fleet, as well as the broader question of whether budgetary allocations for defence equipment are being released and utilised in line with operational requirements.

For now, however, the cause of the Ondo crash remains officially undetermined, and there is no official finding linking the accident to inadequate maintenance funding.