Senate postpones national security summit to honour NAF aircraft crash victims

The Senate has postponed its two-day National Security Summit, earlier scheduled for Monday, October 12, and Tuesday, October 13, 2026, indefinitely, following the fatal Nigerian Air Force (NAF) aircraft crash in Igbokoda, Ondo State.

The NAF confirmed on Tuesday that 25 persons, including five crew members and 20 passengers, lost their lives in the tragedy.

The postponement was announced on Tuesday by the Leader of the Senate and Chairman of the Ad-hoc Committee on the National Security Summit, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, who said the decision was taken in honour of the victims of the crash.

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The Senate had convened the summit to review the country’s perennial security challenges and develop pragmatic solutions capable of guaranteeing the security of lives and property across the federation.

Bamidele disclosed that the ad hoc committee had concluded arrangements for the summit after the completion of the zonal public hearings to get the views of Nigerians on solutions to security challenges.

However, he said the crash of the NAF ATR-42 aircraft on Monday necessitated the postponement of the summit, being a national tragedy.

Bamidele stated, “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu consequently declared three days of national mourning in honour of 25 officers and seven crew members of the Nigerian Air Force and directed that the national flags be flown at half-mast nationwide.”

The Leader added, “With the declaration of national mourning, the Senate has resolved that the National Security Summit should be deferred till further notice in honour of the victims of the crash.”

The aircraft crashed in the Igbokoda area of Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State while on a routine mission from Benin to Lagos.

The State House, in its own statement earlier on Monday, confirmed that the aircraft had 25 passengers and seven crew members aboard and that President Tinubu had ordered a thorough investigation into the incident.

Bamidele expressed the Senate’s condolences to President Tinubu, the Nigerian Armed Forces, particularly the NAF, and the families of the personnel who lost their lives in active service to the country.

He said a new date for the summit would be communicated in due course, while appealing to stakeholders to take note of the national tragedy and bear with the Senate during the period of mourning.