Twenty-four hours after the unfortunate air crash involving NAF aircraft NGR 931 in the Igbokoda area of Ondo State, it has emerged that one of the victims, Squadron Leader Ahamefule Aham Man-Ugwueje, got married just two weeks before the accident.
As learnt, Man-Ugwueje, one of the pilots of the ill-fated aircraft, got married to Flight Lieutenant Damilola Adekunle, daughter of the late Wing Commander O.E. Adekunle, in an elaborate ceremony held in Abuja on September 19, 2026.
It was gathered that the deceased officer, who was said to be the son of retired Group Captain Man-Ugwueje, was still on honeymoon with his wife when the accident occurred on Monday.
A source who spoke with The Guild on Tuesday said Man-Ugwueje was not scheduled to be on the flight, which was en route to Lagos from Benin and was carrying airmen, soldiers and members of their families when it crashed near the Naval Base in Igbokoda.
The source said the young pilot would have been with his newlywed wife and family if he had not boarded the aircraft, as he was not on duty on the day of the incident.
Narrating the incident to our correspondent, the source described the day of the crash as “Black Monday” and said the death of Man-Ugwueje and the other personnel on board had thrown their families and the Nigerian Air Force into mourning.
Earlier, the Nigerian Air Force released the names of the victims, including Squadron Leader MI Aburime, Squadron Leader AP Man-Ugwueje, Flight Lieutenant IS Bako, Warrant Officer Abubakar A and Corporal Uguru HC.
Others are Flight Lieutenant TL Lazarus, Flight Lieutenant M Akinloye, Flying Officer IM Adeshina, Master Warrant Officer Onwuka F, Master Warrant Officer Matini BA, Warrant Officer Nuhu FS, Flight Sergeant James RB, Flight Sergeant Mohammed AI, Sergeant Ani AE, Sergeant Izibenikien SI, Sergeant Alafuka C, Sergeant Mbadugha AN, Lance Corporal Ugwuba FC, Lance Corporal Eledan GE, Mrs Ezeh Nneka, Godstmine Tarabina, Joy Micheal, Sunday Micheal, Ukeme David and Gideon Omotola.
In a statement issued by the Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, the NAF said search-and-rescue operations had been activated in coordination with relevant authorities to locate and account for all persons on board, but no survivors had been found.
The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, expressed condolences to the families of the deceased and directed a comprehensive investigation to establish the circumstances surrounding the accident.