Flight Lieutenant Damilola Adekunle has lost her husband, Squadron Leader Ahamefule Man Ugwueje, in a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) aircraft accident. The tragedy occurred shortly after the couple celebrated their wedding on September 19.
The incident, which involved an NAF ATR 42 aircraft, took place in Igbokoda, Ondo State. The loss of Squadron Leader Ugwueje has struck a particularly heavy personal blow for Adekunle, given her family’s history with military aviation disasters.
The tragedy marks the second time a member of the Adekunle family has been lost in a NAF plane crash. Two decades ago, Flight Lieutenant Adekunle’s father, Wing Commander E.O. Adekunle, was killed in a similar aviation accident.
The loss of the Squadron Leader occurred during a Nigerian Air Force ATR 42 aircraft crash in Igbokoda, Ondo State, which has caused significant distress within the military community.
History of NAF aviation accidents
The death of Wing Commander E.O. Adekunle in 2006 remains one of the notable losses in the history of the Nigerian Air Force. He was among 13 military officers killed when a NAF Dornier 228 aircraft crashed in Vandeikya, Benue State, on 17 September 2006.
That crash, which occurred exactly 20 years before this recent tragedy, involved a Dornier 228 aircraft and resulted in the deaths of a large number of personnel in a single incident. The recurring nature of these losses, specifically within the same family, has brought a somber atmosphere to the service.
Squadron Leader Ahamefule Man Ugwueje was part of the crew involved in the recent Igbokoda mishap. While the specific cause of the ATR 42 crash is yet to be formally released, such incidents typically trigger an immediate internal investigation by the Nigerian Air Force to determine technical or pilot error factors.
The military has not yet issued a formal statement regarding the full list of casualties or the specific flight objectives of the ATR 42 at the time of the accident. Families of the deceased are expected to be notified through official military channels as the investigation progresses.
The Nigerian Air Force is expected to release a report on the circumstances surrounding the Igbokoda crash following the conclusion of its technical inquiry.
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