The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has called for an urgent meeting with heads of aviation regulatory agencies to address growing safety concerns in the sector. This move comes in response to recent incidents, including the diversion of a United Nigeria Airlines flight from Lagos to Abuja to Asaba due to unfavorable weather conditions.
The flight, NUA 0504, initially departed from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Terminal 2, on its way to Abuja. However, due to safety concerns, the pilot decided to ground the aircraft at the Asaba International Airport, causing confusion among passengers.
Expressing the need to address public concerns about safety in the aviation sector, Minister Keyamo announced the summoning of regulatory heads to his office later today. The purpose of the meeting is to thoroughly review recent incidents contributing to safety concerns and ensure that appropriate measures are taken to prevent future occurrences. The minister emphasized the importance of applying sanctions where necessary for past incidents.
This action follows a recent report by Sunday PUNCH, published on November 26, titled “Risky Voyage: Passengers Fret Over Increasing Runway Slips, Crash-Landings.” The report shed light on harrowing experiences faced by air passengers, highlighting challenges in the aviation sector related to infrastructure, management, and navigational safety.
In the past 14 days alone, Nigeria has witnessed three runway excursions at two international airports, contributing to a total of at least 10 reported incidents this year. The aviation sector is under scrutiny, and stakeholders are looking for swift actions to address safety concerns and ensure the well-being of passengers.