The Defence Headquarters has ordered an investigation into the crash of a Nigerian Air Force ATR-42 aircraft near the Naval Base in Igbokoda, Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State.

The aircraft was reportedly on a routine mission from Benin City to Lagos when the incident occurred.

The DHQ said search and rescue operations involving the Nigerian Air Force, sister Services and emergency agencies were ongoing at the crash site.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Director of Defence Information, Maj. Gen. Samaila Uba, said the investigation was ordered following a directive from President Bola Tinubu to establish the cause of the accident.

He said the military received news of the crash with “deep shock” and expressed condolences to the families and loved ones of those involved.

Uba also commiserated with the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, the Nigerian Air Force and the entire Armed Forces.

According to him, the incident was a painful loss to the Armed Forces and the nation, noting that military personnel continue to make sacrifices to keep Nigeria safe.

The DHQ assured Nigerians that the incident would not deter the Armed Forces from carrying out their constitutional responsibility of securing the country.It also appealed to members of the public to avoid speculation and respect the privacy of families affected by the incident while official procedures continue.The DHQ has not disclosed the number of people aboard the aircraft, the extent of casualties or the circumstances that led to the crash.It said the ongoing investigation would determine the cause of the accident, while rescue operations continued at the scene.