Borno deputy Gov, over 100 passengers escape Max Air fire incident

Umar Usman Kadafur, Borno State Deputy Governor and over 100 passengers narrowly escaped a tragic incident when a Max Air aircraft experienced an engine fire shortly after takeoff from Maiduguri International Airport.

The incident occurred around 7 p.m. on Wednesday when the aircraft, en route to Abuja, suffered engine failure caused by a bird strike about 10 minutes into the flight. The pilot and crew managed to execute an emergency landing back at Maiduguri Airport, averting disaster.

“Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft struck a bird midair, which caused one of the engines to catch fire. The pilot acted swiftly to ensure the safety of all passengers,” a Max Air staff member, explained.

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Following the emergency landing, passengers were in shock, with many opting to collect their luggage and return home rather than board another flight.

Max Air management has arranged for another aircraft from Kano to transport the passengers, including the Deputy Governor, safely to Abuja.

The ill-fated aircraft remains grounded at Maiduguri International Airport, undergoing extensive repairs. Investigations into the incident are currently underway.

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha is the Aviation Correspondent at BusinessDay Media Limited, publishers of BusinessDay Newspapers. She is also the Deputy Editor, BusinessDay Weekender Magazine, the Saturday Weekend edition of BusinessDay. She holds a BSC in Mass Communication from the prestigious University of Nigeria, Nsukka and a Masters degree in Marketing at the University of Lagos. As the lead writer on the aviation desk, Ifeoma is responsible and in charge of the three weekly aviation and travel pages in BusinessDay and BDSunday. She also overseas and edits all pages of BusinessDay Saturday Weekender. She has written various investigative, features and news stories in aviation and business related issues and has been severally nominated for award in the category of Aviation Writer of the Year by the Nigeria Media Nite-Out awards; one of the Nigeria’s most prestigious media awards ceremonies. Ifeoma is a one-time winner of the prestigious Nigeria Media Merit Award under the 'Aviation Writer of the Year' Category. She is the 2025 Eloy Award winner under the Print Media Journalist category. She has undergone several journalism trainings by various prestigious organisations. Ifeoma is also a fellow of the Female Reporters Leadership Fellowship of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism.