The director general of civil aviation, Capt Musa Nuhu said a full blown investigation of an incident involving a Bombardier Global Express 605 aircraft carrying the governor of Osun State, Mr. Ademola Adeleke and his aides had begun.
According to Nuhu, the aircraft operated by Pacific Energy Company Limited, was carrying the governor and his team on a scheduled flight to Abuja on September 4, 2023 when it had take-off hitch at the Lagos airport.
He said the minister of aviation and aerospace development, Mr Festus Keyamo who was briefed on the matter expressed concern about the incident
“The aircraft was carrying Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State and his team on a scheduled flight to Abuja.
“A mandatory report was submitted on 6th September 2023 in accordance with Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig.CARS).
“The operator submitted the report through the new web based national aviation safety reporting system, SMS Pro, deployed by NCAA in collaboration with Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) in compliance with the provisions of ICAO mandated State Safety Programme and the Civil Aviation Act 2022.
“A full blown investigation of the incident has since commenced.
While expressing relief that the incident ended without any harm the honourable minister assured that the outcome of NCAA’s investigation and recommendations will implemented in line with Nig. CARS and global best practices.
“NCAA assures the traveling public that it will double its efforts in collaboration with Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) to maintain and improve upon the high safety aviation standards set in the country over the past decade,” Nuhu said.
Meanwhile, spokesman for the governor, Mr Olawale Rasheed confirmed that the governor and some of his aides recently narrowly escaped an aircraft crash.
Rasheed alleged that the engine of the aircraft carrying the governor might have been tampered with.
“Contrary to the claim by the hanger owner that birds’ nests caused the incident, birds’ nests are made with straws not bidding wires as in this case.
“The near-fatal incident was averted shortly after boarding and less than two minutes after commencement of taxing on the tarmac.
“An early warning noise from the engines immediately prompted the pilots to direct evacuation of the passengers. Everything happened within five minutes.
“Early reports from the internal investigation indicated sabotage. But the authorities, locally and internationally, are still investigating the incident,” he said in a statement issued in Oshogbo.
