The partner of Flight Lieutenant I.S. Bako, one of the 25 people killed in Tuesday’s Nigerian Air Force aircraft crash in Igbokoda, Ondo State, has mourned the deceased officer in an emotional social media post.
Joanna Yakubu, in a TikTok post, expressed her grief while recalling her last conversation with Bako, who was a co-pilot aboard the ill-fated aircraft.
Yakubu said Bako had told her he was travelling to Abuja, but gave no indication that he would not return.
In the post, she wrote: “It’s actually Abuja you told me you are going to, and you didn’t mention you will not come back. You left me.”
The Nigerian Air Force aircraft, with registration number NAF 931, was on a routine mission from Benin to Lagos when it crashed into the swampy area of Igbokoda in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State.
The Nigerian Air Force said 25 people were on board, comprising five crew members and 20 passengers. No survivor was found.
The Director of Public Relations and Information, NAF, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, said search-and-rescue operations were immediately activated following the crash.
Ejodame said the aircraft was conducting a routine mission from Benin to Lagos when the accident occurred, adding that rescue efforts were carried out in coordination with relevant authorities.
He confirmed that no survivor had been found.
The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, condoled with the families, colleagues and loved ones of the victims.
Aneke described the crash as a deeply painful moment for the Nigerian Air Force and the nation, assuring the bereaved families of the full support of the Service.
