Twenty-five passengers and seven crew members were aboard the military aircraft that crashed near the Naval Base in Igbokoda, Ondo State, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has disclosed.

The aircraft crashed in the coastal community on Monday while reportedly en route to Lagos from Benin City, Edo State.

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) confirmed ownership of the aircraft, which is reportedly used for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), as well as air maritime operations.

Keyamo, in a statement posted on X, said he was alerted to the aircraft’s disappearance after air traffic controllers were unable to establish communication with it.

“All efforts to raise the aircraft on radio proved abortive,” the minister said.

According to him, subsequent information confirmed that the aircraft had crashed close to the Naval Base in Igbokoda, with the wreckage located as search and rescue operations continued.

“Preliminary information suggests that there were 25 passengers and seven crew members on board,” he said.

Keyamo noted that the control and regulation of military aircraft were outside the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority.

He, however, said he had spoken with the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, and pledged the ministry’s full cooperation and assistance in the ongoing search and rescue efforts.

The minister said further information would be released as it became available.

The crash reportedly caused panic among residents of Igbokoda and surrounding communities on Monday morning.