Keyamo orders investigation and grounds aircraft after unauthorized landing near Asaba

The Federal Government has grounded a private aircraft and suspended its operator’s permit after the aircraft made an emergency landing on a road under construction near Asaba and later departed without regulatory clearance.

Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development Festus Keyamo announced the development in a statement posted on his X account, calling the incident a serious breach of aviation regulations and security protocols.

Keyamo said the aircraft performed a missed approach while attempting to land at Asaba Airport at about 7:43 a.m. local time before diverting and landing on a concrete road under construction in the Ogwashi‑Uku area of Delta State.

Eyewitness reports confirmed that all four crew members on board exited the aircraft safely and were later transported to Asaba by road, with no injuries reported.

Keyamo expressed concern that the aircraft departed the scene at about 11:02 GMT without obtaining the required regulatory approval.

He added that Air Traffic Control was only notified after the aircraft had already taken off, noting that the aircraft had no clearance for departure.

“In other words, the aircraft had no clearance to take off again,” he said.

Following the incident, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) immediately grounded the aircraft upon its arrival in Lagos, pending the outcome of investigations.

The minister said the NCAA has placed the flight under regulatory review to determine the circumstances surrounding both the emergency landing and the unauthorized departure.

He added that the agency is working with relevant stakeholders, including the aircraft operator and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, to fully establish what transpired.

As part of enforcement actions, the NCAA suspended the operator’s Permit for Non‑Commercial Flight (PNCF) and ordered a comprehensive audit of its operational, maintenance, airworthiness, and flight records.

“The NCAA will take further enforcement action in accordance with applicable aviation regulations,” Keyamo stated.

He also confirmed that security agencies had taken custody of the crew members for questioning as part of ongoing investigations.

Authorities say the incident will be thoroughly reviewed to prevent future breaches of aviation safety and regulatory procedures.

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