Abuja — The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has ordered regulatory sanctions against a private aircraft operator after a serious breach in which an aircraft landed on a road near Asaba, Delta State, and later departed without clearance.
In a statement on the incident, Keyamo said the aircraft initially conducted a missed approach while attempting to land at Asaba Airport at about 7:43 a.m. before diverting and landing on a concrete road under construction in the Ogwashi-Uku area.
“All four crew members onboard safely exited the aircraft and were transported to Asaba by road, with no injuries recorded,” the minister stated.
However, Keyamo said the situation escalated when the aircraft later took off from the road location at about 11:02 GMT and flew back to Lagos without obtaining the required regulatory approval. He added that Air Traffic Control was only notified after the aircraft was already airborne.
Describing the development as a “serious violation of aviation safety and security protocols,” the minister confirmed that the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has grounded the aircraft pending investigation.
“The NCAA immediately grounded the aircraft upon arrival in Lagos and commenced a full regulatory review,” Keyamo said.
He further disclosed that the operator’s Permit for Non-Commercial Flight (PNCF) has been suspended, while a comprehensive investigation is underway covering the aircraft’s airworthiness, maintenance records, and flight documentation.
The minister also said relevant security agencies have been involved, and the crew members are cooperating with investigators.
Authorities say the incident raises fresh concerns over compliance with aviation safety regulations and operational discipline within Nigeria’s aviation sector, as regulators intensify scrutiny of non-standard flight operations.
