Abuja airport temporarily shut as plane skids off runway

Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, was temporarily shut on Wednesday after an Allied Air Cargo aircraft with registration number 5N-JRT skidded off runway 22.

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) which confirmed the incident, said it occurred at 10:05 a.m. on Wednesday .

The agency disclosed that five people were on board the aircraft. All passengers were safely evacuated without injury.

Mrs Obiageli Orah, FAAN’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, said in a statement: “The Airport Emergency Response Team is on the scene along with accident investigators.

“The runway is being cleared and is expected to reopen for operations as soon as possible. We would like to thank the aviation community and the general public for their understanding and patience. We also request that all speculation be put on hold until the preliminary report is released by the Nigeria Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB).”

The evacuees were taken to the FAAN clinic for medical checks as a precautionary measure. The incident has drawn the attention of aviation stakeholders, while efforts are underway to restore normal airport operations.