The Federal Government has launched an investigation into an incident involving a private aircraft that landed on a road under construction in the Ogwashi-Uku area near Asaba, Delta State, before later taking off without proper clearance.
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo (SAN), disclosed this in a statement posted on X, describing the development as a serious breach of aviation regulations and safety protocols.
According to him, the aircraft was originally conducting a missed approach while attempting to land at Asaba Airport on Wednesday morning but ended up touching down on a concrete roadway still under construction.
He stated that all four crew members on board were safely evacuated from the aircraft and transported by road to Asaba, with no injuries recorded.
Keyamo further explained that the aircraft later departed the location at about 11:02 GMT and returned to Lagos without obtaining the required regulatory clearance.
He added that air traffic control was only informed after the aircraft had already taken off, noting that the flight operated without proper authorization.
Following the incident, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) immediately grounded the aircraft upon its arrival in Lagos and placed it under regulatory review pending the outcome of investigations.
The authority also suspended the operator’s permit for non-commercial flights and began a comprehensive review of operational, maintenance, and airworthiness records related to the aircraft.
The NCAA is working with other aviation agencies, including the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, to determine the full circumstances surrounding the incident and ensure compliance with aviation safety standards.
Security agencies have also been involved, with officials confirming that the crew are currently assisting with investigations.
Authorities say further enforcement actions will be taken depending on the outcome of the probe.
