Tuesday, July 21, 2026

Keyamo gives safety bureau 10 days to release probe report on Abuja-bound flight diverted to Asaba

“We have some preliminary steps we are taking as a ministry and regulators.’’

• November 28, 2023
Festus Keyamo
Festus Keyamo

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has directed the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau to release investigative reports on Flight NUA0504 within 10 days.

Mr Keyamo said this on Monday in Abuja during a meeting with the leadership of the ministry and heads of agencies under the ministry.

The United Nigeria Flight NUA0504 operating from MM2 in Lagos en route Abuja on Sunday was temporarily diverted to the Asaba International Airport, Delta.

Mr Keyamo further told NSIB to deepen efforts to produce its investigative reports on other incidents that happened within the last two weeks.

According to him, the ministry is taking every step to ensure the safety of lives of Nigerians who decide to travel by air.

“For the incidents that happened recently in the country, some are classified as minor and some serious incidents. But we did have any fatality. However, we have some preliminary and precautions steps we are taking as a ministry and regulators.

“Because of the incident that happened yesterday, where a flight to Abuja ended up in Asaba. They must have their reports within 10 days of what really transpired,” he said.

According to him, the transcript from the tower of Nigeria Airspace Management Agency indicated that the pilot took off from Lagos headed to Asaba and not Abuja.

“There was no weather problem yesterday, NiMet’s DG is here. It was a question about a wet lease plane. Pilots and the cabin crew were foreigners. They were not familiar with the Nigerian terrain. So, it was purely an issue of in-house administrative issues. We have agreed, from now on, any wet lease coming into Nigeria must have a Nigerian pilot and Nigerians as its cabin crew,” he said.

The minister directed the Director-General of Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority of Nigeria to hold a crucial briefing with pilots and cabin crew of wet lease in Nigeria within 72 hours.

He said he had also ordered the NCAA boss to see how law could be enforced whereby passengers get some benefits from the airlines when there are flight delays or cancellations.

(NAN)

We have recently deactivated our website's comment provider in favour of other channels of distribution and commentary. We encourage you to join the conversation on our stories via our Facebook, Twitter and other social media pages.

More from Peoples Gazette

farmers

Agriculture

FG tasks ECOWAS on leveraging financing strategies for agroecology

The federal government has urged stakeholders in the agriculture and finance sectors in the West Africa region to leverage financing strategies to enhance agroecology practices

Katsina State

Politics

Katsina youths pledge to deliver over 2 million votes to Atiku

“Katsina State is Atiku’s political base because it is his second home.”

Edo Assembly speaker Blessing Agbebaku

States

Edo assembly passes revenue harmonisation bill, targets unified IGR

The bill was approved following its third reading during plenary.

Burna Boy

Hot news Home top

 Burna Boy ranked as Africa’s best-selling artiste with 14.46 million equivalent album units

The 14.46 million equivalent album units were derived from a combination of album sales, physical and digital single sales, and streaming equivalents.

Nigerian Exchange

Economy

Investors gain as market capitalisation crosses N159 trillion mark

The performance marked the third consecutive trading session of gains.

ICPC

Abuja

ICPC hands over forfeited $65 million housing project to FMBN

The ICPC handed over 27.92 hectares of forfeited land linked to a diverted $65 million housing project to the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria.

suspected pipeline vandals

States

Police arrest seven suspected pipeline vandals in Adamawa

Police recovered 285 pieces of vandalised NNPC pipelines.

Photo of a flooded community used to illustrate the story (Credit: PG)

Heading 2

NIHSA issues flood alert for 1,841 Bauchi communities, 16 other states

The agency urged state governments, local authorities and residents of flood-prone communities to take immediate precautionary measures.