Qatar Emir condoles Tinubu over military plane crash

Qatar’s Amir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, has sent a message of condolence to President Bola Tinubu over the deaths of passengers and crew members in a Nigerian Air Force aircraft crash in Ondo State.

The Deputy Amir, Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad Al-Thani, and the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, also sent separate messages of condolence to the Nigerian president.

The Qatar News Agency (QNA) reported that the three Qatari leaders sent cables of condolence to Tinubu over the victims of the crash.

The agency, however, did not disclose further details of the messages.

The crash occurred on October 5 when a Nigerian Air Force ATR-42 aircraft went down in a swampy area near the Nigerian Navy’s Forward Operating Base in Igbokoda, headquarters of Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State.

The aircraft was on a routine mission from Benin City, Edo State, to Lagos when the accident occurred, according to the Nigerian Air Force.

The Air Force initially activated search-and-rescue operations following the crash. It later said 25 people were aboard the aircraft, comprising five crew members and 20 passengers, and confirmed that there were no survivors.

The figure differed from the initial account by Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo, who said 32 people were aboard, comprising 25 passengers and seven crew members.

Following the tragedy, Tinubu declared three days of national mourning and directed that flags be flown at half-mast across the country.

Tinubu also ordered a thorough investigation into the cause of the crash.

The Nigerian Air Force has since begun efforts to recover the aircraft’s flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder, which investigators hope will help establish the circumstances surrounding the accident.

Qatar’s condolence message comes amid efforts to deepen its diplomatic and economic relations with Nigeria and other African countries.

In May 2025, President Tinubu welcomed fresh investment initiatives from Qatar, particularly in agriculture and food security, and reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation.

The Qatari government also expressed interest in expanding collaboration in other critical sectors.

Qatar has also engaged regional institutions on cooperation in peace, security, regional integration and development.

In September 2026, the Qatari ambassador to Nigeria, Yousef Mohammed Ahmed Al-Hail met the president of the ECOWAS Commission, General Birame Diop in Abuja to discuss ways to strengthen cooperation between Qatar and the West African regional bloc.

These engagements reflect Doha’s wider efforts to strengthen diplomatic, economic and development ties across Africa, with Nigeria serving as an important partner in its engagement with West Africa.