Heartbreak In Abuja: NAF Pilot K!lled In Crash Just 16 Days After His Wedding

Squadron Leader Ahamefule Aham Man-Ugwueje, one of the pilots aboard the Nigerian Air Force ATR-42 aircraft that crashed in Igbokoda, Ondo State, reportedly died just two weeks after getting married.

The Nigerian Air Force aircraft, identified as NAF 931, crashed on Monday, October 5, 2026, while on a routine mission from Benin City to Lagos. The aircraft had 25 people on board, comprising five crew members and 20 passengers.

According to Bush Radio Academy, the Nigerian Air Force released the names of the 25 people who died in the crash on Tuesday, October 6, as recovery efforts continued at the difficult crash site in Igbokoda, Ilaje Local Government Area.

Man-Ugwueje had reportedly married Flight Lieutenant Damilola Adekunle in an elaborate ceremony in Abuja on September 19, barely two weeks before the fatal aircraft accident.

The couple’s Holy Matrimony was held at the Redeemed Christian Church of God, The Masters Place, located along Solomon Lar Way in the Utako area of Abuja.

Following the church ceremony, the couple and their guests reportedly proceeded to the Nigerian Army Conference Centre along the Asokoro Expressway for the wedding reception.

The pilot’s death has added another tragic dimension to the crash, coming shortly after the officer began his married life.

The incident has continued to generate concern as authorities work to recover the victims and wreckage of the aircraft from the swampy and mangrove terrain where it went down.

Investigations into the circumstances surrounding the crash are expected to determine what caused the aircraft to go down during the routine flight.