Nigeria: Aviation Minister Calls Private Jet Road Landing 'Serious Security Breach'

Nigeria's Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has declared the unauthorized landing of a foreign-registered private jet on a road near Asaba Airport a significant security breach. The crew and pilots are currently in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) as investigations intensify.

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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.

Keyamo stated that the aircraft, registered in the United States, was cleared to land on the airport's runway but instead touched down on an unfinished concrete road outside the airport perimeter. This deviation from the cleared landing zone has raised serious concerns about the crew's actions and intentions.

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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.

Adding to the security concerns, the crew reportedly departed the scene before accident investigators could examine the aircraft. Following this, Keyamo contacted the DSS Director-General, leading to the crew's apprehension upon their arrival in Lagos. The minister highlighted that foreign-registered aircraft, often operated by pilots over 70 years old, can enter Nigeria under lease arrangements, contrasting with Nigerian regulations that limit commercial pilot flying age to 65.

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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 incident, which occurred on June 10, involved a Bombardier Challenger 601-3A flying from Lagos to Asaba. Preliminary reports indicate the crew discontinued their initial approach before attempting a second landing on Runway 11, mistakenly believing they were aligned correctly. The investigation aims to determine the precise reasons behind the deviation and the crew's subsequent actions.

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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.