Asaba road landing: NCAA bans pilot, grounds aircraft

The pilot-in-command of a private jet that mistakenly landed on an under-construction road near Asaba Airport has been permanently banned from operating in Nigerian airspace, marking one of the regulatory crackdowns in recent domestic aviation history.

Chris Najomo, the Director General of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), confirmed the decisive sanctions on the sidelines of the Airport Business Summit in Lagos, adding that the First Officer has also been suspended pending the final outcome of an ongoing multi-agency probe.

In a severe escalation, the aircraft involved has been grounded, its Permit for Non-Commercial Flight (PNCF) suspended, and the Department of State Services (DSS) co-opted into the investigation—raising national security questions after the flight crew reportedly departed the road site and flew back to Lagos without obtaining required air traffic control clearances.

Najomo explained that although the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) handled the initial safety investigation, the regulatory aspect of the case has now been handed over to the NCAA, which is conducting its own independent probe.

He also revealed that the Department of State Services (DSS) has joined the investigation.

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The NCAA Director General described the incident as highly unusual, saying he could not comprehend how an aircraft could mistake a road for a runway.

He stressed that the authority would leave no stone unturned in uncovering the circumstances surrounding the occurrence before taking final regulatory action.

On the Airport Business Summit, Najomo praised the gathering as a valuable platform for industry stakeholders to address pressing challenges facing Nigeria’s aviation sector.

He assured operators that the NCAA would carefully examine concerns over monopoly and anti-competitive practices, stressing the regulator’s commitment to promoting fair competition, ensuring airlines remain commercially viable, protecting passengers’ interests, and preventing excessive charges across the industry.

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.