Another private jet with VIPs onboard crashes in Ibadan

By OUR REPORTER, Ibadan

Two months after a chattered jet, conveying the Minister of Power, Mr. Adebayo Adelabu, and his aides from Abuja, crashlanded at the Ladoke Akintola Airpirt Ibadan, another indigent of air mishap again happened at the same location on Friday January 26, 2024.

This time, the private jet involved, was carrying onboard about 10 persons including Very Important Personalities (VIPs) when it overshot the Ibadan airport runway in the Oyo State capital.

No name was mentioned of any of the VIPs onboard.

An impeccable source said the incident happened around 11am when the jet with registration number, N580KR, missed the runway and skidded into the nearby bush.

Firefighters and rescue officials from the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) were immediately deployed to the scene. There was, however, no death or casualty recorded.

“It was a private plane from Abuja. It landed safely but overshot the runway. There was no casualty,” a spokesperson for the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Carol Adekotujo, told our correspondent over the phone.

When contacted, a spokesman for the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) Tunji Oketunmbi, confirmed the incident but said a team had been dispatched to the site for a probe.

The rate of aviation incidents in the past few months has been concerning despite the sacking and replacement of heads of aviation agencies. In November, the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, escaped death when a plane he was on board crash-landed at the same airport.

Meanwhile, an Abuja-based lawyer, Pelumi Olajengbesi, has said there is a need for an urgent repair of the Ibadan Airport runway to guarantee the safety of lives.

“The paramount concern for the safety of air travel now brings to light the precarious condition of Ibadan Airport’s runway,” he wrote on Facebook while reacting to Friday’s incident.

“Urgent action is not just necessary; it is an immediate imperative to avert future catastrophes. Beyond a mere plea for the convenience of airport users, it is a heartfelt demand to protect lives.

“We cannot afford to gamble with the potential repercussions of a delayed response. I earnestly implore the relevant authorities to swiftly close Ibadan Airport temporarily and embark on the essential repairs needed for the runway. Let us prioritize the safety of our citizens and elevate our air travel infrastructure to the highest standards.”