The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has revealed that the private aircraft involved in last month’s unusual landing near Asaba Airport did not suffer any mechanical failure but mistakenly touched down on a nearby construction road after its pilots confused it with the airport’s runway.
Afrilensnews reports that the incident, which occurred on June 10, has now escalated beyond an aviation safety investigation, with the Department of State Services (DSS) handling it as a matter of national security.
Speaking during an interview on TVC on Wednesday, Keyamo said preliminary findings indicated that the aircraft, a Bombardier Challenger CL-601 with registration number N989BC, had received clearance from the control tower to land at Asaba Airport before communication took an unexpected turn.
“The tower in Asaba cleared them to land. After about two minutes, the tower called and said, ‘Where is your location? I can’t see you again. I can’t see you on the tarmac,'” the minister said.
According to him, air traffic controllers were unable to locate the aircraft because it had landed on a construction road situated close to the airport instead of the designated runway.
“They said they had landed, so the tower asked, ‘Landed where?’ They said they landed on a roadway that they saw. It happened that it was a construction site very close to the airport. They saw a beautiful road there that looked like a runway and landed there,” Keyamo explained.
The minister added that the aircraft subsequently departed the location for Lagos after disembarking its passengers, a development he said further confirmed there was no technical fault with the jet.
“There was no mechanical failure, and that was why they could take off again,” he stated.
Keyamo disclosed that security agencies are now examining the circumstances surrounding the incident, stressing that it has assumed a national security dimension.
“Those facts are before the Department of State Services (DSS). It has gone beyond aviation; it is now a security concern. Security agencies are looking into it, and there are reports they will first send to Mr President because it is a matter of national security,” he said.
The minister, however, declined to provide additional details on the ongoing security investigation.
The development follows earlier actions taken by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), which grounded the aircraft and suspended the Permit for Non-Commercial Flight (PNCF) of its operator, VMO Aero Limited.
The regulator also placed the flight crew under review after disclosing that the aircraft flew from the scene to Lagos without obtaining regulatory clearance, describing the action as a breach of aviation regulations.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has recovered the aircraft’s Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) and Flight Data Recorder (FDR) as part of efforts to establish the exact sequence of events.
VMO Aero had earlier maintained that its crew discontinued what it described as an unstable approach before eventually landing on a roadway running parallel to the airport runway. The company said there were no injuries or property damage and pledged full cooperation with investigators.
The incident has raised fresh concerns over aviation safety procedures, pilot situational awareness, airport approach operations and airspace security in Nigeria. With the DSS now involved, the findings of the investigation could lead to tougher operational guidelines, possible sanctions against those found culpable and additional measures to prevent similar incidents at airports across the country.
During the same interview, Keyamo also addressed concerns raised by the International Air Transport Association over the high cost of airline operations in Nigeria, announcing that President Bola Tinubu has approved the establishment of a committee involving aviation and finance officials, tax authorities and the Airline Operators of Nigeria to review taxes,
levies and other charges affecting airlines.
The minister said the committee would recommend measures aimed at reducing operating costs while ensuring the long-term sustainability of Nigeria’s aviation industry.
The incident has generated widespread public reaction, with many Nigerians expressing disbelief that experienced pilots could mistake a construction road for an airport runway. Others have called for a transparent investigation and improved airport approach markings and navigation systems to strengthen aviation safety and restore public confidence in the sector.
