Pilot of crashed Nigerian Air Force ATR-42 reportedly identified as Squadron Leader Ahamefule Man-Ugwueje, married two weeks earlier
The pilot of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) ATR-42 aircraft that crashed in Igbokoda, Ondo State, on Monday has reportedly been identified as Squadron Leader Ahamefule Aham Man-Ugwueje. The military has not confirmed the identification.
SaharaReporters reported that Man-Ugwueje was among the personnel on board the aircraft, NAF 931, and that he was the pilot. According to the same reports, he married a Flight Lieutenant on 20 September 2026 at a wedding ceremony in Abuja, about two weeks before the crash.
The Nigerian Air Force said the aircraft was on a routine mission from Benin to Lagos when it crashed in a swampy area around Igbokoda. It disappeared from radar at about 9:13am.
Authorities later confirmed that 32 people were on board, made up of 25 passengers and seven crew members. Who was on the flight became a central question as the search operation continued.
When the first reports emerged, rescue teams were still recovering victims and investigators were working to establish what happened. The police urged the public not to share unverified information. The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) said it could provide technical support if the Air Force formally invites it.
Families of those on board are waiting for official confirmation of the identities of the victims and for details of the cause of the crash. The Air Force has yet to publish a full list of those on the aircraft.
