SECURITY BREACH: DSS DETAINS CREW AFTER PRIVATE JET LANDS ON ROAD NEAR ASABA AIRPORT — KEYAMO

DSS DETAINS CREW AFTER PRIVATE JET LANDS ON ROAD NEAR ASABA AIRPORT — 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, confirming that the pilots and crew are in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) as investigations continue.

Speaking during an interview on Channels Television on Thursday, Keyamo said the aircraft had received clearance from the control tower to land on the airport runway but instead landed on a concrete road outside the airport perimeter.

According to the minister, the incident occurred on June 10 and has no connection with the airport's navigational facilities, as the control tower properly guided the aircraft for landing.

"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 said.

He explained that air traffic controllers became concerned after noticing the aircraft had not landed on the runway despite receiving landing clearance.

"The tower at Asaba cleared them to land, but they refused to land on the runway. When controllers contacted them again, it became clear they had landed on a concrete road outside the airport," he stated.

Keyamo further disclosed that the crew worsened the situation by departing the scene before accident investigators could inspect the aircraft and question those on board.

According to him, the aircraft is registered in the United States, noting that the pilot was reportedly over 70 years old. He explained that while Nigerian regulations prevent commercial pilots above 65 years from operating Nigerian-registered aircraft, different rules may apply to foreign-registered aircraft operating under approved lease arrangements.

The aircraft involved was identified as a US-registered Bombardier Challenger 601-3A with registration number N989BC, operated by VMO Aero Limited. It 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 (NSIB) stated that the crew discontinued their initial approach before attempting a second landing on Runway 11. However, the aircraft landed on a paved road under construction near the airport instead of the designated runway.

The jet, carrying four crew members and three passengers, later departed the roadway and returned to Lagos without any reported injuries.

Following the incident, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) grounded the aircraft upon its arrival in Lagos, suspended the operator's Permit for Non-Commercial Flight, and launched a comprehensive investigation. The Ministry of Aviation also confirmed that security agencies took the flight crew into custody as part of the ongoing investigation.

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