NAF Crash: Pilot Who Died in Ondo Accident Married Fellow Air Force Officer Two Weeks Earlier

By Charity Uwakwe

He had barely spent two weeks as a newlywed before tragedy struck: NAF pilot Squadron Leader Ahamefule Man-Ugwueje was among those killed in the Ondo aircraft crash.

NAF pilot dies two weeks after wedding: Squadron Leader Ahamefule Man-Ugwueje had married fellow Air Force officer Damilola Adekunle just two weeks before the fatal Ondo crash.

ABUJA — Squadron Leader Ahamefule Aham Man-Ugwueje, one of the Nigerian Air Force pilots killed in the recent aircraft crash in Ondo State, had married fellow Air Force officer, Flight Lieutenant Damilola Adekunle, just two weeks before the fatal accident.

According to a report by The PUNCH on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, Man-Ugwueje and Adekunle got married on September 19, 2026, in Abuja.

Details of the wedding were confirmed through the couple’s wedding invitation, as well as photographs and videos shared by vendors who participated in the ceremony.

The wedding planner and other service providers documented the occasion, while videographer Beejay Creates shared footage identifying Adekunle as the bride and Man-Ugwueje as the groom.

The wedding invitation stated that the couple’s Holy Matrimony was held at the Redeemed Christian Church of God, The Masters Place, Utako, Abuja, at 11am.

Their reception was scheduled for 3pm at the Nigerian Army Conference Centre, Asokoro.

The invitation also identified Man-Ugwueje as the son of retired Group Captain Man-Ugwueje.

Information on the late pilot’s Facebook profile listed Umuahia, Abia State, as his hometown and Abuja as his current city.

Barely two weeks after the wedding, tragedy struck when the Nigerian Air Force ATR-42 aircraft, identified as NAF 931, crashed in Igbokoda, Ondo State, during a routine mission from Benin to Lagos.

The aircraft was carrying 25 people — five crew members and 20 passengers — when it crashed.

The Nigerian Air Force later confirmed that there were no survivors and released the names of those who died in the accident. Man-Ugwueje was identified among the five crew members and listed as the co-pilot.

Following the crash, the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, described the incident as a deeply painful moment for the Nigerian Air Force and the country.

He extended condolences to the families, loved ones and colleagues of the victims, while the Air Force ordered a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding the accident.

Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, had earlier confirmed that the search operation at the crash site produced no survivors.

The governor said he was informed of the incident at about 10:30am on Monday after receiving a call from the chairman of Ilaje Local Government Area.

According to Aiyedatiwa, residents living across the river from the Nigerian Navy base in Igbokoda heard a loud sound before seeing the aircraft descend into a swampy area.

Nigerian Navy personnel, emergency responders, residents and members of the Amotekun Corps subsequently joined efforts to access the difficult terrain and search for possible survivors.

The crash has left the families, colleagues and loved ones of the victims mourning, coming particularly close to home for Man-Ugwueje’s family only weeks after his marriage to another serving Air Force officer.