Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri has expressed condolences to President Bola Tinubu, the Nigerian Air Force and families of military personnel who died in the Ondo air crash.
Diri, in a statement issued on Tuesday by his Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Alabrah, also commiserated with the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, over the tragedy.
The military aircraft, with tail number NGR 931, crashed in a swamp in Igbokoda, headquarters of Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, after disappearing from radar shortly after take-off.
The aircraft was travelling from Benin City, Edo State, to Lagos when air traffic controllers lost contact with it at about 9:13am on Monday.
Diri described the incident as a painful loss to the country and expressed solidarity with the Nigerian military and the victims’ families.
“On behalf of the Government and People of Bayelsa State, I extend our deepest condolences to the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, the Nigerian Air Force and the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, over Monday’s tragic air crash,” he said.
He said the incident had left the nation grieving and prayed for strength and comfort for the bereaved families.
“We stand in solidarity with our military, the families of the victims, and the entire nation as we pray that the Almighty God strengthen and comforts all the bereaved,” Diri added.
