Another NAF Aircraft Makes Emergency Landing in Makurdi Days After Fatal Ondo Crash
By Fact Harbour News
Another Nigerian Air Force (NAF) aircraft has reportedly made an emergency landing in Makurdi, Benue State, just two days after a fatal NAF aircraft crash in Ondo State that claimed the lives of those aboard.
The Nigerian Air Force helicopter reportedly developed a technical fault on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, prompting the pilot to make an emergency landing in a farmland in the Makurdi area of Benue State.
There were no immediate reports of fatalities from the Makurdi incident.
The development has attracted attention because it occurred shortly after the Nigerian Air Force lost an ATR-42 aircraft in Igbokoda, Ondo State, on Monday.
The ATR-42, identified as NGR 931, was travelling from Benin to Lagos on a routine mission when it crashed near a naval base in Igbokoda, Ilaje Local Government Area. The Nigerian Air Force later confirmed that 20 passengers and five crew members aboard that aircraft died.
The Ondo crash prompted President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to order a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the accident. The President also expressed condolences to the families of the deceased and the Nigerian Air Force.
The latest Makurdi incident is separate from the Ondo crash and there is currently no indication that the two incidents are connected.
Details surrounding the helicopter’s emergency landing, including the type of helicopter, the exact location of the farmland, the number of personnel aboard and the extent of any damage, were not immediately available in the initial report.
The reported technical fault will likely be examined by the Nigerian Air Force as part of its normal aviation safety procedures. Further details are expected from military authorities as information becomes available.
The Nigerian Air Force operates several aircraft and helicopter platforms for transportation, surveillance, combat support, search and rescue and other military assignments. Its Tactical Air Command is headquartered in Makurdi, Benue State.
The back-to-back incidents have nevertheless heightened public interest in the safety and maintenance of military aircraft, particularly following the deaths recorded in the Ondo accident.
However, the emergency landing in Makurdi should not be interpreted as evidence of a wider technical problem within the Nigerian Air Force without findings from the relevant authorities.
The cause of the helicopter’s reported technical fault and whether any damage occurred during the emergency landing had not been officially established in the reports available at the time of publication.
Fact Harbour News will continue to monitor official statements from the Nigerian Air Force and other relevant authorities for further updates.
