The Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja (NAIA)has been temporarily closed after a cargo aircraft operated by Allied Air crash-landed.
Henzodaily learnt that the aircraft with registration number 5N-JRT crash-landed on Wednesday at about 10:00 am after one of its landing gears failed.
According to Cable, a source privy to the incident said the aircraft had six crew members on board, but no casualties were recorded.
The airport’s runway has been reportedly closed, leading to delays of inbound and outbound flights.
Efforts are currently underway by airport authorities, including the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), to remove aircraft and inspect the runway for potential damage.
The source said, “Fortunately, no casualties were recorded.
“The crew members were promptly evacuated and are currently undergoing medical assessments at the 063 Nigerian Air Force (NAF) medical unit.
“Emergency responders acted swiftly to secure the crash site, cordoning off the area under the supervision of the Military Airport Commandant (MAC) and other relevant agencies.”
Meanwhile, the government of Osun State, led by Governor Ademola Adeleke, has explained that technical challenges, particularly insufficient runway capacity, necessitated the relocation of the state airport project to Akoda, Ede.
Henzodaily understands that residents and natives of Ido-Osun in the Egbedore local government area had on Tuesday expressed their discontent through protests against the Governor’s choice to move the airport from their community to Ede, which is the hometown of Adeleke.
However, in defence of the relocation, Lai Oriowo, an airport project technical committee member, stated that the decision was driven by considerations of viability and technical factors rather than political motivations.