There is apprehension among Nigerians over the rising cases of plane crash-landing incidents within Nigeria’s aviation industry.
In 14 days, the nation’s aviation sector has witnessed two plane accidents.
On Sunday, one incident occurred when a Boeing 737 Jet with registration number 5N-BYQ belonging to Aero Contractors Airlines crashed and landed at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport.
The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau described the incident as ‘a serious accident.’
Similarly, another incident happened last week when a private HS25B aircraft operated by Flint Aero narrowly averted tragedy as it crash-landed on the runway at Ibadan, Oyo State.
Passengers on board, including the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, escaped death.
The development comes days after the Nigerian Aviation Authority (NCAA) warned pilots and airline operators to exercise caution over hazardous weather in the dry season.
Also, barely six months ago, 143 passengers in a Max Air aircraft with registration No: 5N-MBD escaped death after the plane crash-landed at NAIA when the plane’s tires burst and went into flames.
Although no deaths have been recorded in these incidents, the occurrences evoke fear in the minds of Nigerians over aviation safety, despite assurances by NSIB to investigate the accidents.
According to Daily Times Nigeria, Godwin Ezeokafor, an air passenger who frequents the Abuja-Lagos route, said the rising cases of plane crash-landings are worrisome.
“The state of Nigeria’s aviation sector worries me. On one of my trips, the plane I boarded almost crash-landed at Abuja Airport. The matter summarizes that Nigeria’s aviation sector needs serious rejigging; if not done, it would be a death trap for Nigerians. Regulatory agencies such as the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Nigerian Aviation Authority (NCAA), and Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) must fulfill their responsibilities.
Another passenger, Abdullahi Sani, said, “From recent happenings, airplane passengers need to be careful when choosing an airline. I don’t want to mention names, but some Nigerian airlines are unsafe to board. I had two experiences while traveling from Abuja to Lagos.”