The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has suspended the pilots involved in the controversial Asaba airport incident and grounded the aircraft pending the conclusion of investigations into the unusual landing.
The Director-General of the NCAA, Capt. Chris Najomo, disclosed this on Wednesday while speaking on the sidelines of the Airport Business Summit in Lagos.
Najomo confirmed that the aircraft’s Permit to Fly had been suspended, while the flight crew had also been barred from operating in Nigerian airspace until the investigation is concluded.
The sanctions follow last month’s incident in which a chartered aircraft landed on a road under construction near the Asaba Airport in Delta State, raising serious safety concerns across Nigeria’s aviation industry and prompting widespread calls for a comprehensive investigation.
The Nigeria Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) had initially launched a safety investigation into the occurrence but has since transferred the regulatory aspect of the case to the NCAA, which is now conducting its own independent probe.
Najomo also revealed that the Department of State Services (DSS) has joined the investigation to examine other possible circumstances surrounding the incident.
According to him, the aircraft will remain grounded while the pilots remain suspended until the investigations are completed.
“The investigation is still ongoing. The NSIB has handed the investigation to us, the NCAA, and we are conducting our own inquiry. As we speak, the aircraft has been grounded, the Permit to Fly has been suspended, and the pilots have also been suspended pending the outcome of our investigation,” he said.
Drawing from his over four decades of aviation experience, Najomo described the incident as highly unusual, insisting that an experienced pilot could not mistake a road for a runway.
“As a pilot with 45 years of experience, I will not see a road and land on it. We are also looking at other possible motives. The DSS has become involved and is carrying out its own investigation too. Until the report is released, that remains the position,” he added.
Speaking at the Airport Business Summit, the NCAA Director-General described the gathering as a vital platform for addressing pressing challenges within Nigeria’s aviation sector.
He assured industry stakeholders that the authority would investigate complaints relating to monopoly and anti-competitive practices, reiterating the regulator’s commitment to ensuring fair competition while safeguarding passengers’ interests.
“We will carefully look into complaints relating to monopoly and anti-competitive practices. Our responsibility is to ensure fair competition, keep airlines commercially viable, protect passengers’ interests and ensure that charges within the industry remain reasonable,” Najomo said.
The outcome of the ongoing investigations by the NCAA, NSIB and DSS is expected to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident and whether further regulatory or legal actions will be taken.
