The Independent National Electoral Commission on Monday said Nigeria’s national voters register had risen to over 103 million following the completion of the three-phase Continuous Voter Registration exercise and final biometric cleanup.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, disclosed this in his keynote address at a one-day strategic workshop for editors, organised by the Nigerian Guild of Editors in collaboration with the commission in Abuja.

The development said over 103 million Nigerians are eligible to participate in the 2027 general elections.

Amupitan said the three phases of the CVR exercise produced 10,772,421 new registrations, subject to verification by the Automated Biometric Identification System.

“Following the conclusion of our three-phase Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise, which captured over 10.6 million new applicants, and the completion of the public display of the preliminary register for claims and objections, our Voter Register Department has completed the final Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS) cleanup.

Nigeria’s National Register of Voters is now over 103 million,” he declared.

INEC first projected the 100 million voter register mark in August, when the INEC National Commissioner for Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, said the voter register, then standing at over 93 million, was expected to surpass 100 million after the completion of the CVR exercise.

In September, the INEC chairman said the national register was “approaching the 100 million mark,” following 10,772,421 new registrations during the CVR exercise, subject to ABIS verification.

The INEC chairman further announced that the nationwide collection of Permanent Voters’ Cards would commence on Friday, October 9, 2026.

He said the commission had completed the processing and distribution of Phase 1 PVCs to all local government centres ahead of the commencement of collection.

He urged the media to inform citizens about collection locations and encourage registered voters to collect their cards promptly.

The INEC chairman also disclosed that the commission had acquired 57,000 new Bimodal Voter Accreditation System devices ahead of the 2027 general elections.

According to him, the BVAS devices have undergone software hardening, battery optimisation and biometric calibration to prevent accreditation bypass and eliminate manual manipulation.

He said the technological upgrades formed part of the commission’s efforts to strengthen the integrity of the electoral process ahead of the January 16, 2027 Presidential and National Assembly elections and the February 6, 2027 governorship and state Houses of Assembly polls.

“We have instituted hardware, software, and cybersecurity enhancements across our technological architecture. We have acquired 57,000 new BVAS for optimal performance.

“The devices have undergone extensive software hardening, battery optimisation, and biometric calibration to prevent accreditation bypass and eliminate manual manipulation,” the INEC chairman stated.

The commission also said it had taken a firm stance against vote-buying ahead of the elections, noting that it had entered a “strengthened coalition” with the Ministry of Justice and anti-graft agencies to prevent such practices.

“The integrity of the ballot box is fatally compromised when a citizen’s vote is treated as a commodity for sale. The commission is taking an uncompromising stance against vote-buying in all its forms ahead of the 2027 general election.

“Working through a strengthened coalition with the Federal Ministry of Justice, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit, joint financial monitoring teams will be deployed to track illegal campaign spending and conduct undercover surveillance at polling units nationwide,” the chairman stated.

Amupitan also warned political actors against attempts to trade cash for votes, adding that any party or candidate found in such acts will “face immediate arrest and prosecution under the Electoral Act 2026.”

He added, “Elections must be decided by the conviction of the voter, not the depth of a candidate’s pocket.”

Speaking on the 2027 poll, Prof Amupitan said the commission was targeting the commencement of voting simultaneously across all polling units nationwide.

He said the commission was drawing lessons from recent off-cycle elections and would improve its logistics, personnel and technology ahead of the 2027 polls.

He said INEC was working to ensure that logistics were properly addressed and its technology worked optimally to enable Nigerians to vote without unnecessary delays.

“So some of those lessons from those elections, right from our technology optimisation, must improve. Our logistics must improve.

“I want to see a general election where voting starts in all the polling units in Nigeria at the same time. That is what we are targeting, where logistics is well-addressed, and where our technology works optimally,” he said.

The chairman said the commission had already commenced early procurement and distribution of non-sensitive election materials to state offices, while new operational pickup vehicles had been procured for state offices and local government areas to improve movement of personnel and materials.

He added that INEC had commenced nationwide zonal readiness assessments, with physical audits and staff engagements already completed in the South-West and North-West zones.

The commission, he said, was using the assessments to identify local vulnerabilities, test contingency systems and address potential bottlenecks ahead of election day.

Amupitan said INEC had also acquired 57,000 new Bimodal Voter Accreditation System devices, with the machines undergoing software hardening, battery optimisation and biometric calibration.

The chairman said the technological upgrades were designed to strengthen accreditation and prevent manipulation, while the enhanced electronic EC8A system would ensure that polling unit result sheets were digitised, cryptographically authenticated and uploaded directly to the INEC Result Viewing Portal.

The INEC chairman also said the commission had identified effective and transparent management of election results as a critical lesson from the challenges that followed the 2023 general elections.

He said the commission had resolved that its processes must ensure that election results were managed “effectively, optimally, and transparently,” with declarations made as soon as the electoral work was completed.

“Because the only way that can save us in this country from all the problems we’ve had since 2023 is if we manage our results effectively, optimally, and transparently, and then ensure that the results are declared as soon as the work of collation is completed,” Amupitan said.

He said the approach was intended to improve transparency and enable citizens to follow the process rather than leave room for suspicion and misinformation.

The chairman also disclosed that INEC had introduced technology aimed at making voter registration and access to voter cards easier.

He said the commission introduced an online registration portal during the third phase of the Continuous Voter Registration exercise to remove barriers associated with distance and time.

He further announced the introduction of printable Permanent Voter Cards in line with Section 18(1) of the Electoral Act 2026, saying the technology was intended to eliminate unnecessary delays in obtaining voter cards.

“Apart from that, we also introduced another technology, which is the printable PVC technology in line with Section 18(1) of the Electoral Act, to ensure that waiting becomes a relic of the past,” he said.

The chairman said the technology had already been tested during the Osun governorship election and used to enable voters whose PVCs had been stolen before the election to exercise their voting rights.

Amupitan said the commission was now 101 days away from the presidential and National Assembly elections scheduled for January 16, 2027, with the governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections fixed for February 6.

He said INEC had executed eight of the 14 major statutory activities contained in its revised timetable and was advancing towards the completion of the ninth milestone.

He called on editors, whom he described as the “bridge in an era of information chaos,” to work with the commission to build a public space of verified information, civic responsibility, and institutional trust.

“When newsrooms prioritise factual accuracy over sensational headlines, when reports contextualise field logistics rather than default to inflammatory speculation, and when information is verified before publication, you perform a sacred public service. You act as the primary filter protecting our democracy against information disorder.

“As the nation prepares for the 2027 General Elections, let us work together to build a public space powered by verified facts, civic responsibility, and unassailable institutional trust,” he concluded.

In his address, the President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, Eze Anaba, described media credibility as an essential part of a free and fair electoral process.

“The credibility of the media is itself an essential component of the credibility of the electoral process. The Nigerian Guild of Editors is committed to working with INEC, and other stakeholders, to promote elections that Nigerians can trust, and a media that the citizens can rely upon for credible information,” Anaba said.

He noted the challenge of courts deciding elections, urging stakeholders to work towards elections decided by electorates’ votes.

“There’s a need for us to fight for our electoral process to be fair, transparent, and to avoid courts being the last port of call. People are talking about courts speaking for citizens as a last arbiter for voters.

“But hopefully, with this next round of elections, citizens’ votes will speak. We cannot grow as a democracy without a very strong electoral body.

“The Guild believes strongly that a credible election is a shared responsibility. INEC has its constitutional mandate. Political parties and analysts have their responsibilities. The media has its own obligation, and ultimately, citizens must be adequately informed

Source: punchng.com

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A military aircraft that crashed on Monday had disappeared from radar shortly after take-off, according to a senior Air Traffic Controller familiar with the aircraft’s final journey.

The aircraft, with tail number NGR 931, was travelling from Benin City, the Edo State capital, to Lagos when air traffic controllers lost contact with it at about 9:13am, before it crashed into a swamp in Igbokoda, the headquarters of Ilaje Local Government Area in Ondo State.

The senior Air Traffic Controller, who spoke with our correspondent on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to comment on the matter, said communication with the aircraft was established shortly after it took off, but contact was subsequently lost, with efforts to reconnect proving unsuccessful.

“I must tell you that this is looking somehow shoddy. When the aircraft took off, we were in touch with it shortly afterward, but it disappeared from the radar. Efforts to reach it were unsuccessful,” the source said.

According to the source, personnel at the closest reporting points in Okitipupa later reported hearing a loud bang believed to have been the sound of the crash.

The source said the military immediately commenced search-and-rescue efforts after it was reported that the aircraft had disappeared from radar.

The source, however, stressed that the ongoing search-and-rescue operation would provide more information about what happened.

“But it was strange. Almost immediately after it took off, we lost communication with it. There was no communication, nothing. And that makes it suspicious. The aircraft just vanished until the crash.

“Even as we speak, the search-and-rescue operation is still ongoing, and when that is concluded, I should be able to get more information,” the source said.

While describing the loss of communication as suspicious, the source said the circumstances surrounding the crash would become clearer as rescue and recovery operations progress.

“The loss of communication is very suspicious, but God will help us anyway. It is very possible for us to get clearer information as things unfold,” the source added.

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, also disclosed that air traffic controllers had informed him of the disappearance of the aircraft.

“I regret to inform the general public that Air Traffic Controllers have informed me of the disappearance of a military aircraft with tail number NGR 931, enroute Lagos from Benin at 0913 hours earlier today. All efforts to raise the aircraft on radio proved abortive,” Keyamo said.

He later confirmed that the wreckage had been located close to the Naval Base in Igbokoda.

“Subsequently, information, however, confirmed that the military aircraft had crashed close to the Naval Base in Igbokoda, Ondo State. The wreckage has been located, and search and rescue operations are ongoing,” he said.

Keyamo said 32 people, comprising 25 passengers and seven crew members, were on board the aircraft.

However, as of the time of filing this report, it could not be independently ascertained if lives were lost in the crash.

However, as of the time of filing this report, military personnel and emergency responders had intensified efforts to recover victims and locate the black box of the ill-fated NAF ATR-42 aircraft.

The PUNCH gathered that local fishermen joined the rescue operation as authorities struggled to access the wreckage.

The Nigerian Air Force noted that the aircraft was on a routine mission from Benin to Lagos when the accident occurred. The identities and condition of those on board were yet to be officially disclosed as of the time of filing this report.

The aircraft was said to have crashed into a swampy area within the creek, making access to the wreckage difficult and slowing the rescue operation.

Military officers from a nearby base were leading the rescue operation, while local fishermen also assisted efforts to access the wreckage.

An eyewitness told The PUNCH, “I could see the military men in the area while some local fishermen too were helping out, but it seems difficult to remove the wreckage because the plane forcefully entered into the swampy area.”

Another resident, who identified himself simply as Sola, said the crash occurred while it was drizzling.

Sola said, “It happened this (Monday) morning, when it was drizzling. We heard a very loud sound at the area where the incident happened, but we couldn’t get there because the place is a swampy area inside the creek. We were just looking at it from afar.

“However, the police and the military people later came around for rescue, but the occupants of the aircraft may have died inside because up till this time I’m speaking with you, nobody has been removed from there, dead or alive. Initially, we thought it was a helicopter, but later we learnt that it is an aircraft.”

NAF reacts

The Nigerian Air Force, in a statement issued by its Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, said it had activated an immediate search-and-rescue operation.

The statement partly read, “The NAF has activated an immediate Search and Rescue operation following an ATR-42 aircraft accident in the Igbokoda area of Ondo State on 5 October 2026.

“The aircraft was on a routine mission from Benin to Lagos when the accident occurred. Search and Rescue operations, in coordination with relevant authorities and emergency response agencies, are currently ongoing.

“The NAF is committed to ensuring the success of the ongoing Search and Rescue efforts. Further details will be communicated in due course.”

Police begin investigation

The police confirmed that an investigation into the incident had commenced.

The Police Public Relations Officer in Ondo State, DSP Abayomi Jimoh, said, “The Ondo State Police Command confirms the reported aircraft crash in the Igbokoda axis of Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State on Monday, 5th October 2026. Details surrounding the incident are still emerging, as efforts to establish the full circumstances continue.”

Jimoh urged residents of Igbokoda and adjoining communities to remain calm and refrain from circulating unverified information.

“The public will be duly informed as soon as further credible information becomes available,” he stated.

The monarch of Igbokoda, Oba Afolabi Odidiomo, described the incident as unfortunate and said he had directed palace officials to visit the crash site after receiving news of the incident.

“I was in court when the incident happened, and I directed some of my palace officials to visit the site. At that time, nobody could determine whether it was an aircraft or a helicopter.

“I was worried because it must not be a plane, because the number of casualties would be just too high. Our first thanks to Almighty God is that it did not happen inside the town; otherwise, the casualties would have been too many.

“The aircraft crashed into the river and a swampy area. It was raining when the incident happened, and the place was waterlogged. The aircraft did not catch fire, but a substantial part of it has gone into the water. We cannot describe the exact situation for now, but from my investigation and what we have gathered so far, there was no survivor.”

No survivor — Aiyedatiwa

The Governor of Ondo State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, also expressed sadness over the crash and said his administration had activated relevant state agencies to support the ongoing search-and-rescue operation.

In a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Ebenezer Adeniyan, the governor said he had been in contact with the leadership of the Nigerian Air Force, the Chairman of Ilaje Local Government Area, Maurice Oripelaye, and security agencies at the scene.

“The governor has received with deep sadness the news of the crash of a Nigerian Air Force aircraft in Igbokoda, headquarters of Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, in the early hours of today, Monday, October 5, 2026.

“On behalf of the government and good people of Ondo State, Governor Aiyedatiwa expresses his heartfelt sympathy to the Chief of Air Staff, the entire Nigerian Air Force family, and the families of all personnel and passengers on board the ill-fated aircraft. Our thoughts and prayers are with them at this difficult time.

“The governor has been in contact with the leadership of the Nigerian Air Force, the Ilaje Local Government Chairman, Maurice Oripelaye, and security agencies on the ground.”

The governor also said no survivor had been found following the crash.

In an interview on Channels Television, the governor said the information about the crash reached him at about 10.30am after the chairman of the local government contacted him.

“When they noticed that it’s just an accident, they didn’t see any sign of fire. So, they moved in, trying to see if they could rescue the people.

“But from the information we got, no single life was saved up to this moment. They could not see any living soul that was in that aircraft. But they saw the ruins, some of the wreckage from the wings of the aircraft, you know, some ID cards, I was told, and then uniforms. That was when they knew it was a military aircraft,” he said.

The governor described the incident as a painful development, particularly because it occurred in his home state and local government.

Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu has expressed sadness over the crash and directed the Nigerian Air Force to immediately commence a thorough investigation into its cause.

In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the President said the aircraft was on a routine mission from Benin to Lagos when it crashed near a naval base in Igbokoda.

Tinubu extended his condolences to the families of the 25 passengers and seven crew members involved, as well as the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Kelvin Aneke, and the entire Nigerian Air Force.

He stated, “This is a painful moment for our Armed Forces and for the entire nation. Our Air Force personnel put their lives on the line every day to secure Nigeria. Their sacrifice will never be forgotten.”

“The Chief of Air Staff has briefed me, and I have directed the Nigerian Air Force to immediately commence a thorough investigation into the cause of the crash to prevent future occurrences.

“I commend the Nigerian Air Force for activating an immediate Search-and-Rescue operation following the accident. I pray for the repose of the souls of the gallant officers and for Almighty God to grant their families and the Nigerian Air Force the fortitude to bear the unfortunate loss.

“I assure the Nigerian Air Force of the continued support of our administration as they continue their vital role in securing our nation. I also commend the swift response of first responders and the Ondo State Government at the crash site.”

As the rescue operation continues, attention is also turning to the aircraft’s flight recorders, commonly known as the black box, which had yet to be recovered as of the time of filing this report.

The recorder could provide investigators with vital information about the aircraft’s final moments, including its flight parameters and cockpit communications.

The National Safety Investigation Bureau has indicated its readiness to assist with the recovery and analysis of the flight recorders if requested by the military.

The black box, together with the wreckage, air traffic control records, weather data, maintenance documents and eyewitness accounts, is expected to form part of the evidence required to establish what led to the crash.

Some witnesses claimed that the aircraft circled a few times before plunging as the rain increased. The account has not been independently verified and has not been confirmed by the NAF.

The weather conditions are expected to form part of the investigation, alongside the aircraft’s maintenance history, technical condition, flight path, and communication with air traffic controllers and the actions of the crew.

The crash has also attracted attention because Igbokoda is a coastal, oil-producing community in Ilaje LG, where aircraft are commonly used for offshore and oil-related operations.

The presence of aircraft in the area initially contributed to uncertainty over the type of aircraft involved, with some residents describing the incident as a helicopter crash.

However, NAF has confirmed that the aircraft was an ATR-42 fixed-wing military aircraft. There is no official information linking the aircraft to an oil-related operation.

For now, military personnel, police officers, emergency responders and local fishermen remain at the crash site, working through the difficult swampy terrain to recover victims and secure the wreckage.

The cause of the crash and the condition of those on board remain officially unconfirmed, while the search for the flight recorder and the investigation into the accident continue.

Source: punchng.com

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