File: Aviation Minister, Festus Keyamo

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has described the unauthorised landing of a foreign-registered private jet on a concrete road near Asaba Airport as a serious security breach.

The minister revealed that the pilots and crew have remained in the custody of the Department of State Services since the incident as investigations continue.

Speaking on Channels Television on Thursday, Keyamo said the aircraft received clearance to land on the airport runway but instead touched down outside the airport perimeter.

Barely a month ago, the aircraft landed on an unfinished concrete road in Asaba, raising public concerns over the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Responding to questions on the incident during the programme, Keyamo said, “The private jet incident was a security breach, and we are treating it as such. The pilots and crew are still in DSS custody undergoing rigorous questioning to determine why they landed where they did.”

According to him, the incident had no connection with the airport’s navigational facilities, stressing that the control tower had properly cleared the aircraft for landing.

“The tower at Asaba asked if they were on approach and cleared them to land. But they refused to land on the runway. When controllers contacted them again, asking, ‘You are not on the runway, where are you?’ it became clear they had landed on a concrete road outside the airport.”

He said the crew further heightened security concerns by departing the scene before accident investigators could examine the aircraft and question those on board.

Keyamo disclosed that the aircraft was registered in the United States, explaining that this accounted for the age of the pilot, who was reportedly over 70 years old.

He added, “When you make such a serious mistake, you are expected to remain at the scene until accident investigators arrive. Instead, the crew took off again. That was when I contacted the Director-General of the DSS, and arrangements were made for the aircraft’s crew to be picked up immediately on arrival in Lagos.

“The aircraft is not Nigerian-registered; it is registered in the United States. That is why the pilot is over 70 years old. Under Nigerian regulations, commercial pilots cannot continue flying beyond the age of 65. Foreign-registered aircraft operating under wet lease, dry lease or short-term lease arrangements often come into Nigeria for limited periods before returning to their home base.”

The incident occurred on June 10 when the US-registered Bombardier Challenger 601-3A, with registration number N989BC and operated by VMO Aero Limited, was flying from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, to Asaba Airport under Instrument Flight Rules.

A preliminary report by the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau said the crew discontinued their initial approach before making a second attempt to Runway 11, believing they were correctly aligned with the published RNAV approach procedure.

However, the aircraft landed on a paved road under construction near the airport instead of the designated runway. The jet, which had four crew members and three passengers on board, later departed from the roadway and flew back to Lagos without any reported injuries.

Following the incident, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority grounded the aircraft on its arrival in Lagos, suspended the operator’s Permit for Non-Commercial Flight and commenced a comprehensive investigation. The ministry also confirmed that security agencies had taken the flight crew into custody as part of the ongoing probe.