Squadron Leader Ahamefule Aham Man-Ugwueje, one of the Nigerian Air Force pilots killed in Monday’s aircraft crash in Igbokoda, Ondo State, had married just two weeks before the tragedy.
Man-Ugwueje married Flight Lieutenant Damilola Adekunle in an elaborate wedding ceremony held in Abuja on September 19, 2026, according to details contained in the couple’s wedding invitation and posts shared by vendors who participated in the ceremony.
The Nigerian Air Force ATR-42 aircraft, identified as NAF 931, crashed while carrying out a routine mission from Benin to Lagos.
The aircraft had 25 people on board, comprising five crew members and 20 passengers. The Nigerian Air Force confirmed on Tuesday that all 25 occupants died in the crash and released their names.
Wedding memories shared online
Checks on the social media pages of the wedding planner and other vendors involved in the ceremony showed photographs and videos from Man-Ugwueje and Adekunle’s wedding.
One of the videographers, Beejay Creates, shared footage from the ceremony with the caption, “Love in every word.”
The couple’s wedding invitation stated that their Holy Matrimony took place at the Redeemed Christian Church of God, The Masters Place, located on Solomon Lar Way, opposite the NHIS Headquarters and Customary Court of Appeal in Utako, Abuja.
The church ceremony was scheduled for 11 a.m., while the reception followed at 3 p.m. at the Nigerian Army Conference Centre along the Asokoro Expressway in Abuja.
From wedding celebration to tragedy
Information on Man-Ugwueje’s Facebook profile identified Umuahia, Abia State, as his hometown and Abuja as his current city.
His death, coming only two weeks after his wedding, has cast a tragic shadow over what had been a recent milestone in his personal life.
The crash has also drawn renewed attention to the risks faced by military personnel carrying out routine operational missions.
The Nigerian Air Force has yet to provide further details on the circumstances surrounding the crash as investigations into the incident continue.
