Festus Keyamo, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, has stated that the private jet with registration N989BC, which touched down on a roadway in Ogwashi-Uku, Delta State, experienced no mechanical malfunctions. Instead, the pilots mistakenly identified a construction road as the Asaba Airport runway.
Keyamo explained that while the aircraft was authorized to land at Asaba Airport, the control tower lost sight of the plane moments after clearance was given. The pilots eventually confirmed they had landed, though the tower could not locate them on the tarmac. The crew had confused a nearby road with the airport strip. After offloading their passengers, the pilots departed for Lagos, a maneuver that confirms the aircraft was fully functional.
The incident is now under investigation by the Department of State Service as it has evolved into a national security matter. Regarding concerns from the International Air Transport Association about high operational costs in Nigeria, Keyamo noted that President Bola Tinubu is organizing a committee to address taxes and levies impacting airline operators.
