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History of The Nigerian Air Force |
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The Fallen Heroes |
The story of any war cannot be complete without counting the cost. The first NAF
aircrew casualties were recorded in 1966 when Lieutenants Onyirimba and Onyeji
crashed in a Piaggio 149D at Ibadan. This was before the Civil
War. The
early casualties
after the declaration of war were Lieutenant Jide Akerele and Second Lieutenants
Ozieh and Lawal. Lieutenant Akerele crashed in an L-29 aircraft
in late 1967 while
returning to base from a bombing raid to Onitsha in support of the 2nd Division
of the Nigerian Army. Late Air Marshal Ibrahim Alfa (then a Lieutenant) who was
his wingman reported that he suddenly stopped responding to radio calls and subsequently,
his aircraft took a plunge and crashed. Since Akerele’s crash, there have been several
other air accidents that prematurely claimed the lives of brilliant and resourceful
personnel of the NAF.
Click on these links to view the list:
The Roll of Nigerian Air Force Fallen Heroes – Officers (1964-2004)
The Roll Of Nigerian Air Force Fallen Heroes – Airmen (1964-2004)
The Ejigbo C-130 Hercules Crash
A special mention must be made of the C-130 (NAF 911) air disaster of 26 September 1992 at Ejigbo in Lagos State. The crash was a national tragedy which claimed the
lives of the officers of Course 15 of the Command and Staff College, Jaji, who were
returning to the College after a study tour of naval establishments in Lagos. Casualties
from this crash include personnel from the 3 Services, the Ministry of Defence and
some sister African Countries. Those that crashed in the aircraft are listed in
Tables 13 and 14. May their souls continue to repose in peace.
Click on these links to view the list:
Personnel of the Nigerian Air Force Involved in the C–130 Aircraft Crash
Personnel of Other Services and Establishments Involved in the C–130 Aircraft Crash
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