Following the crash of the Nigerian Air Force aircraft that killed 25 people on Monday, October 5, 2026, in Ondo State, MyNigeria takes a look at the five prominent Nigerians who have lost their lives as a result of helicopter crashes.

1. Herbert Wigwe

Herbert Onyewumbu Wigwe (1966–2024), Group CEO of Access Holdings and a key figure who helped grow Access Bank into one of Africa’s major financial institutions, died on 9 February 2024. He was aboard a chartered Airbus EC130 (Eurocopter) helicopter that crashed in California’s Mojave Desert near Halloran Springs/Nipton while en route from Palm Springs to Boulder City, Nevada (near Las Vegas, for Super Bowl LVIII). His wife Doreen (Chizoba) and son Chizi were also killed, along with others. US investigators pointed to the pilot continuing under visual flight rules in worsening weather.

2. Abimbola Ogunbanjo

Abimbola (“Bimbo”) Ogunbanjo (c. 1962–2024), a prominent corporate lawyer and former Group Chairman of the Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX Group; previously associated with the Nigerian Stock Exchange), died in the same 9 February 2024 California Mojave Desert helicopter crash as Herbert Wigwe and his family. He was traveling with the group toward Las Vegas.

3. Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa

Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa (1948–2012), Governor of Kaduna State (the first Christian and first person from Southern Kaduna to hold the post), died on 15 December 2012. He was returning from a funeral in Bayelsa State aboard a Nigerian Navy Agusta helicopter bound for Port Harcourt when it crashed in a forested/creek area in Ogbia (Bayelsa) and caught fire. All aboard were killed.

4. Owoye Andrew Azazi

Gen. Owoye Andrew Azazi (1952–2012), former National Security Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan, and earlier Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Staff, died in the same 15 December 2012 Navy helicopter crash in Bayelsa that killed Governor Yakowa. He and Yakowa were travelling together after attending a funeral.

5. Chizi Wigwe

Chizi Wigwe (c. 1994/1995–2024), son of Herbert Wigwe, died in the 9 February 2024 California helicopter crash alongside his parents and Abimbola Ogunbanjo. As a member of one of Nigeria’s leading banking families and travelling with his high-profile father, his death was widely noted in coverage of the tragedy that shocked Nigeria’s business community.