ONDO NAF TRAGEDY: UN OBSERVES MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR VICTIMS

The United Nations General Assembly has honoured Nigerian military personnel killed in the Nigerian Air Force aircraft crash in Igbokoda, Ondo State, as international condolences continued to pour in following the tragedy.

The tribute was observed during proceedings of the UN General Assembly’s Fifth Committee, where Nigeria’s representative informed delegates of the fatal crash and invited them to observe a moment of silence for those who lost their lives.

Delegates stood in silence in honour of the victims before proceedings continued. The tribute came as Nigeria entered a three-day period of national mourning declared by President Bola Tinubu following the crash.

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TRAGEDY REACHES INTERNATIONAL STAGE

The aircraft, NAF 931, crashed in the Igbokoda area of Ilaje Local Government Area while on a routine mission from Benin to Lagos. The Nigerian Air Force later said 25 people were aboard, comprising five crew members and 20 passengers.

The victims included military personnel and civilians.The tragedy has attracted condolences from government officials, security institutions and international partners.

The United States Mission in Nigeria also expressed condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of those killed and reaffirmed its security partnership with Nigeria.

NATIONAL MOURNING

President Tinubu ordered three days of national mourning and directed that national flags be flown at half-mast in honour of the victims. He also ordered a thorough investigation into the cause of the crash.

The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, has similarly directed an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the accident. The aircraft’s crash site remains difficult to access because of swampy terrain, with recovery teams working to retrieve the victims and wreckage.

ValidViewNetwork reports that the UN tribute adds an international dimension to a tragedy that has already prompted national mourning in Nigeria.

For the families of the victims, however, the most immediate concern remains the recovery and dignified identification of their loved ones, while investigators work to establish exactly what caused the crash.