The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has described the controversial landing and subsequent departure of a private aircraft from a roadway near Asaba, Delta State, as a breach of aviation regulations and a matter of national security concern.
The aircraft, which reportedly failed to land at the Asaba Airport on Wednesday morning, landed on a concrete road still under construction in the Ogwashi-Uku area near the Delta State capital.
In a statement, made available to journalists by Tunde Moshood, media aide to the minister, on Thursday, the minister said the aircraft attempted to land at about 7:43 am local time but was unable to access the airport runway before making a safe landing on the unfinished roadway.
Recall that the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, in a statement earlier on Wednesday, said it grounded the aircraft upon its arrival in Lagos pending the outcome of a comprehensive investigation.
The regulator has also suspended the operator’s Permit for Non-Commercial Flight and launched a full-scale review of the incident.
Reacting to the development, Keyamo expressed relief that no lives were lost but stressed that the circumstances surrounding the incident and the aircraft’s subsequent departure without authorisation raised serious concerns.
Keyamo said, “The Honourable Minister, while expressing gratitude that no lives were lost, described the incident and the events that followed as a matter of grave regulatory and security concern.
“It has further been established that Air Traffic Control was only notified after the aircraft was already airborne, implying that the flight departed without the necessary operational clearance.”
Describing the action as unacceptable, Keyamo said the development constituted “a serious breach of aviation regulations and security protocols.
“The NCAA has placed the flight under comprehensive regulatory review and has commenced further inquiries into both the circumstances surrounding the incident and the subsequent unauthorised departure of the aircraft from the location.”
The minister added that the authority was working closely with the aircraft operator, the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency and other stakeholders to determine the full circumstances of the incident.
“The NCAA will undertake a thorough review of all operational, airworthiness, maintenance, and flight-related records associated with the aircraft and operator, and will not hesitate to impose further enforcement actions as may be warranted under the applicable civil aviation regulations,” the statement added.
Meanwhile, Keyamo disclosed that relevant security agencies had taken custody of the flight crew, who are currently assisting investigators.
“The Honourable Minister has been in contact with the relevant security agencies and has received assurances that the flight crew are currently in their custody and is fully cooperating with ongoing investigations,” the statement.
The minister assured Nigerians that a transparent investigation would be conducted and that all necessary actions would be taken based on the findings.
“The minister assures the public that a thorough and transparent investigation will be conducted and that all appropriate actions will be taken based on the findings.
“No individual or operator, irrespective of status, will be permitted to circumvent established aviation procedures designed to safeguard lives and maintain the integrity of Nigeria’s airspace system,” it added.
