Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has pledged the full support of the state government to ongoing efforts to recover the wreckage of the Nigerian Air Force aircraft that crashed in Igbokoda, Ilaje Local Government Area of the state.
Aiyedatiwa made the commitment when the Director of Search and Rescue at the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Air Commodore Bature, visited him at the Government House in Akure to brief him on the recovery operation.
The governor said he ordered relevant state agencies to mobilise immediately after receiving news of the crash while he was on official duty in Abuja.
He described the incident as a national tragedy and a painful loss to the country, noting that the young military personnel who died had made the ultimate sacrifice in the service of Nigeria and the protection of its territorial integrity.
Aiyedatiwa expressed condolences to the families of the deceased officers and commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for declaring three days of mourning in honour of the fallen personnel.
He said recovery efforts had continued despite the challenging terrain, explaining that the crash site was located in a swampy environment characterised by narrow and shallow waterways.
According to the governor, residents of the area had been supporting the operation by using small boats to navigate the creeks and reach the crash site.
He said the local residents worked alongside the Nigerian Navy and other emergency responders in attempts to rescue the victims and transport them to medical facilities, but unfortunately, there were no survivors.
Aiyedatiwa said he would travel to Igbokoda to engage with residents and personally assess the situation while ensuring that the recovery operation received the necessary support.
He commended NEMA, the State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, the military, local government authorities and residents for their efforts, assuring all agencies involved that the state government would continue to provide support.
Earlier, Air Commodore Bature disclosed that NEMA had deployed three swamp buggies to the crash site to assist the recovery team in accessing the difficult terrain and retrieving the aircraft wreckage.
He said the recovery operation was being carried out jointly by NEMA, SEMA, the Nigerian Air Force, the Nigerian Navy and local residents.
Bature explained that the swamp buggies were being used to navigate the difficult swamp environment and enable responders to reach areas where the aircraft wreckage and other parts were trapped.
He said he was in Ondo State on the instruction of NEMA Director-General, Hajia Zubaida Umar, who is currently outside the country.
According to him, the NEMA chief directed him to meet with Governor Aiyedatiwa and commend him for his prompt response and support following the crash.
Bature also praised the SEMA, Nigerian Navy, Army, Air Force, Police and residents for their swift response to the incident.
He said NEMA was working closely with the Ondo State Government and local communities to coordinate personnel and resources for an effective recovery and disaster management operation.
The NEMA director expressed optimism that the aircraft wreckage and other components remaining at the crash site would be recovered soon.
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