NIGERIA: Squadron Leader Ahamefule Aham Man-Ugwueje, one of the pilots of the Nigerian Air Force aircraft that crashed in Ondo State, died just 16 days after marrying a fellow Air Force officer.
Man-Ugwueje, who served as co-pilot aboard the ill-fated ATR-42 aircraft, NAF 931, married Flight Lieutenant Damilola Adekunle in Abuja on September 19, 2026.
The aircraft crashed in Igbokoda, Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, on Monday, October 5, killing all 25 people on board.
Details of Man-Ugwueje’s wedding emerged following the release of the names of the crash victims by the Nigerian Air Force on Tuesday.
Photographs and videos from the wedding ceremony, which were shared by vendors involved in the event, showed the couple celebrating their marriage barely two weeks before the fatal accident.
The couple’s wedding invitation showed that their Holy Matrimony was held at the Redeemed Christian Church of God, The Masters Place, in Utako, Abuja, while the reception took place at the Nigerian Army Conference Centre in Asokoro.
Man-Ugwueje was identified by the NAF as one of the five crew members killed in the crash. The other crew members were Squadron Leader MI Aburime, Flight Lieutenant IS Bako, Warrant Officer Abubakar A and Corporal Uguru HC.
The aircraft, which was carrying 20 passengers and five crew members, was on a routine mission from Benin to Lagos when it crashed in a swampy area around Igbokoda.
The NAF subsequently confirmed that there were no survivors and ordered an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the accident.
Man-Ugwueje’s death has left his new wife widowed less than three weeks after their wedding.
He was reportedly from Umuahia, Abia State, and was based in Abuja. Reports also identified him as the son of a retired Group Captain.
The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, described the crash as a deeply painful moment for the Nigerian Air Force and the country, while extending condolences to the families, colleagues and loved ones of the victims.
President Bola Tinubu has declared three days of national mourning in honour of the victims of the crash, with national flags to be flown at half-mast during the period.
