Peter Obi Seeks Probe of Enugu Air Runway Incident in Benin

The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Peter Obi, has called on aviation regulators to conduct a thorough investigation into a runway excursion involving an Enugu Air aircraft at the Benin Airport in Edo State. Obi made the call in a statement posted on his official social media page on Friday while reacting to the incident.

The incident occurred on Thursday when an Enugu Air Embraer E170 aircraft, operating as Flight 4264 from Lagos to Benin with registration 5N-ENR, overran the end of Runway 05 during landing at approximately 3:10 p.m. local time. There were 63 passengers and five crew members on board. No injuries were reported.

Obi said he received the news of the runway excursion with profound relief, and expressed gratitude that everyone on board disembarked safely, stressing that the protection of human lives must remain the highest priority in the aviation sector. He said lessons from the occurrence should be used to strengthen aviation safety across the country.

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, also reacted to the incident. In a post on his verified social media handle on Friday, Keyamo said the aircraft skidded off the runway after landing successfully, an occurrence referred to in aviation terminology as a “runway excursion,” and confirmed that everyone on board was safe. He said he had directed all relevant agencies to work closely with Enugu Air to determine the cause of the incident.

The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau said its Go Team was deployed to the scene within minutes of notification to begin a full-scale investigation. According to the bureau, investigators are preserving evidence, interviewing the flight crew and other relevant personnel, examining the aircraft, assessing runway conditions and reviewing operational and technical records to determine the circumstances surrounding the occurrence. The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority and other airport agencies have also been notified.

The bureau’s Director-General, Alex Badeh Jr., said every runway excursion deserves a thorough and independent investigation regardless of the outcome. He said the Go Team was on the ground within minutes of notification, and urged the public to refrain from speculation while investigators carry out their work in accordance with international standards.

The bureau said a preliminary report would be released within 30 days in line with regulatory requirements, while the final investigation report, including safety recommendations, would be published after the investigation is completed.

The runway excursion disrupted flight operations at Benin Airport, forcing Air Peace to suspend all its services to and from the airport following the temporary closure of the runway. Enugu Air said in a statement that affected passengers would be contacted directly and provided with the necessary assistance amid possible schedule adjustments.