The aircraft reportedly landed on a road under construction near Asaba before departing the scene without regulatory approval, according to Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo.
Nigeria’s aviation authorities have grounded a private aircraft and suspended the operator’s permit following an incident in which the aircraft reportedly missed the runway while attempting to land near Asaba in Delta State and later departed the scene without clearance.
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, confirmed that the aircraft conducted a missed approach while attempting to land at Asaba International Airport before landing on a concrete road still under construction in the Ogwashi-Uku area near Asaba.
According to the minister, the incident occurred at about 7:43 a.m. local time. Eyewitness accounts indicated that all four crew members onboard exited safely and were later transported to Asaba by road, with no injuries reported.
However, aviation authorities raised concerns after the aircraft reportedly departed the location at about 11:02 GMT and returned to Lagos without obtaining the required regulatory approval. The minister stated that Air Traffic Control was informed only after the aircraft had already become airborne.
The development has added another layer to ongoing scrutiny around aviation safety procedures and compliance with operational regulations within Nigeria’s airspace management system.
In response, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority immediately grounded the aircraft upon its arrival in Lagos pending the outcome of investigations. The agency also suspended the operator’s Permit for Non-Commercial Flight and commenced a regulatory review into both the emergency landing and the subsequent unauthorized departure.
Keyamo also disclosed that the NCAA is coordinating with the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency and other stakeholders to determine the full circumstances surrounding the incident, while security agencies have taken custody of the crew members as investigations continue.