NCAA Grounds Plane After Unauthorised Flight from Delta Road
Fresh security concerns have emerged in Nigeria’s aviation sector after a privately operated aircraft that reportedly landed on a roadway near Asaba, Delta State, departed the location and returned to Lagos without obtaining regulatory approval.
The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, in a statement issued on Wednesday by its Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu, confirmed that it had suspended the operator’s permit for non-commercial flights and grounded the aircraft pending a full investigation. The incident is currently under investigation for multiple compliance breaches.
According to the regulator, the aircraft encountered difficulties while attempting to land at Asaba Airport on Tuesday morning and was forced to execute a missed approach before touching down on a roadway in the Ogwashi-Uku area near Asaba. The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, said the aircraft subsequently landed on a concrete road that was under construction in the Ogwashi-Uku area.
The authority said all four crew members evacuated the aircraft safely and were transported to Asaba by road, with no injuries recorded. “Available information indicates that the aircraft conducted a missed approach at approximately 0743 local time while attempting to land at Asaba. Subsequently, the aircraft reportedly landed on a roadway in the Ogwashi-Uku area near Asaba,” the statement said.
The security concerns stem from the aircraft’s subsequent departure without clearance. “Preliminary information available to the authority indicates that the aircraft subsequently departed the location at approximately 1102 GMT and returned to Lagos without obtaining the requisite regulatory approval,” the NCAA disclosed.
The regulator added that Air Traffic Control was informed only after the aircraft had become airborne, describing the action as a violation of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations. Following the aircraft’s arrival in Lagos, it said it immediately grounded the aircraft, placed the flight crew under regulatory review and suspended the operator’s permit. The NCAA said it had formally notified the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau and was working with the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency and the operator to determine the full circumstances. Investigators would scrutinise all operational, maintenance, airworthiness and flight-related records before deciding on further enforcement.
Reacting, former Military Commandant of Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Group Capt John Ojikutu (retd.), described the incident as a grave security breach. “Absolutely, that pilot should be arrested by now. The first thing investigators should ask him is who disembarked at that location,” he said. He recounted grounding a presidential aircraft for four days after its pilot parked at an unauthorised section of an airport, adding, “When it comes to security, no stone should be left unturned.”
President of the Aviation Safety Round Table Initiative, Air Commodore Ademola Onitiju (retd.), said the occurrence raised questions about safety, crew competence and national security, but cautioned against premature conclusions. “Of course, it poses a security threat. That is why aviation remains one of the most highly regulated industries,” he said, adding that the matter “remains speculative” pending NSIB findings.