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The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has called for a comprehensive audit of funds released for the maintenance of Nigerian Air Force (NAF) aircraft following Monday’s crash of an ATR-42 aircraft in Igbokoda, Ondo State.
The opposition party also questioned the disparity between funds released for the maintenance of the NAF fleet and those allocated to the Presidential Air Fleet, urging the Federal Government to account for defence maintenance expenditure.
In a statement issued on Tuesday in Abuja, the ADC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, commiserated with the families and colleagues of the military personnel who lost their lives in the crash, describing the incident as tragic.
While stressing that it would not pre-empt the ongoing investigation into the cause of the accident, the party urged authorities to examine the aircraft’s maintenance history as well as the condition of other military aircraft and equipment.
According to the ADC, government records indicated that, as of December 2025, only N4.5 billion out of the N34.71 billion budgeted for the maintenance of NAF aircraft had been released, representing about 13 per cent of the approved provision.
The party contrasted this with the Presidential Air Fleet, for which it said N20.74 billion was budgeted within the same period, with N20.27 billion, representing 97.76 per cent, reportedly released.
The ADC said the figures raised questions about budgetary priorities, particularly given the operational demands placed on military personnel who routinely undertake high-risk missions using aircraft and other specialised equipment.
“While we do not intend to prejudice ongoing investigations into the cause of this tragic crash, we believe that this sad moment also provides an opportunity to raise, yet again, questions about the non-implementation of the defence budget and the perennial neglect of military equipment,” the party said.
It called for the crash investigation to go beyond the immediate circumstances surrounding the accident to include an examination of aircraft maintenance records, defence procurement processes, budgetary releases and actual expenditure.
The party said such a comprehensive review would help establish whether funding and maintenance issues played any role in the incident and identify measures necessary to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
The ADC stressed that its position was not aimed at questioning the maintenance of presidential aircraft, but at ensuring that NAF pilots, crew members and other military personnel are provided with properly maintained and serviceable equipment.
It said greater transparency and accountability in defence spending were essential to protecting military personnel and strengthening national security.
The ATR-42 aircraft crashed on Monday in Igbokoda, Ondo State, while reportedly operating a routine flight from Benin to Lagos.
Authorities had commenced recovery operations and investigations as of Tuesday, with the cause of the crash yet to be established.
Aircraft maintenance remains a critical component of military aviation because the safety and operational effectiveness of air assets depend heavily on regular inspection, servicing, replacement of worn components and compliance with prescribed maintenance schedules.
The NAF operates aircraft for a wide range of missions, including combat operations, surveillance, transportation, logistics and humanitarian support.
Many of these operations are conducted in challenging environments and place significant demands on both aircraft and personnel.
The crash has therefore renewed attention on the condition and maintenance of military aircraft, as well as the implementation of approved defence budgets.
However, the cause of the Ondo incident remains subject to official investigation, and no conclusion has been established linking the crash to funding or maintenance deficiencies.
The ADC’s demand for an audit consequently places the focus on whether budgeted resources for military aviation maintenance are being released and utilised as approved, and whether existing maintenance arrangements are adequate to ensure the safety and operational readiness of the nation’s military fleet.
