By Ben Ezeamalu
LAGOS, Oct 16 (Reuters) – More than a week after a Nigerian Air Force plane crash killed all 25 people on board, families say they are still waiting for answers as military teams search for wreckage and human remains in swampy terrain.
President Bola Tinubu has ordered an investigation into the October 5 crash, but relatives say they have received little information about what caused it, whether remains have been identified or how recovery efforts are progressing.
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) said the aircraft was on a routine mission from Benin City to Lagos when it crashed in a remote area of southwest Nigeria after losing radar contact. It has not disclosed the cause. The flight was carrying 19 military personnel and six civilians.
For London-based software developer Victor Anii, the uncertainty has compounded the grief of losing his older sister, Esther Anii, a sergeant in the Nigerian Air Force.
When he woke on October 5, he found a message from Esther asking him to send money for a bus journey from Benin City to Lagos. She told him the group had flown from Abuja but stopped in Benin City because of a fault with the aircraft. Tired of waiting, she was considering continuing the journey by road.
Hours later, news broke that an NAF aircraft flying between the two cities had crashed.
“We didn’t know what was going on. We just knew we couldn’t reach her, and her husband couldn’t reach some of his friends on the flight,” he said.
It was not until the following day, when the Air Force published a list of those on board, that the family learned Esther had been among those killed.
WAITING FOR ANSWERS
Frustrated by what he saw as poor communication from the authorities, Anii posted a video online criticising the Air Force’s handling of families after the crash.
Two days later, he said, an NAF commander visited his parents’ home in Abuja carrying two envelopes. One contained a condolence letter. The family did not open the second because they suspected it contained cash.
“Whatever that is in it is not enough to take away the pain of my family,” he said.
Asked about support for relatives and efforts to identify remains, NAF spokesperson Ehimen Ejodame referred Reuters to Air Force statements saying it had pledged support to families and intensified search and recovery operations. He did not address the allegation that money was offered.
Damilola Folorunsho, whose 36-year-old brother Sunday was among the six civilians on board, said no one had contacted her family.
“My mum has been living with me since the incident,” she said. The family, who live about 200 km (125 miles) from the Igbokoda swamp crash site, do not know whether his remains have been recovered or how far the investigation has progressed.
NAF did not respond to questions about whether it is standard practice for military aircraft to carry civilians.
The crash is the latest in a series of Nigerian military aviation accidents that have raised questions about safety and accountability. A review of publicly reported incidents shows at least nine NAF aircraft accidents had killed more than 30 people in the five years before the latest crash.
For Anii, accountability matters more than compensation.
“The most important thing now is to know what happened and ensure it never happens again.”
(Reporting and writing by Ben EzeamaluEditing by Ros Russell)
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