Festus Keyamo says the DSS is detaining the crew of a US private jet that ignored runway clearance and landed near Asaba Airport amid an ongoing probe.
The Federal Government has confirmed that the crew of a United States-registered private jet remains in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) following an unauthorized landing near Asaba International Airport, an incident the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has described as a serious national security breach.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television on Thursday, Keyamo said the aircraft was cleared by air traffic controllers to land on the runway at Asaba Airport but instead touched down on a concrete road outside the airport’s secured perimeter, prompting immediate security and regulatory investigations.
According to the minister, the incident has become the subject of a multi-agency probe involving the DSS, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), and the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), with investigators working to determine why the crew ignored approved landing instructions.
Keyamo explained that the airport’s navigational equipment was functioning properly on the day of the incident, dismissing speculation that technical failures at the airport contributed to the abnormal landing.
He said communication between the aircraft and the control tower remained normal throughout the approach, and the crew received full clearance to land on the designated runway.
“The control tower confirmed the aircraft was on approach and gave clearance to land. However, instead of landing on the runway, the aircraft landed on a concrete road outside the airport. Controllers immediately realised something was wrong when the aircraft failed to appear on the runway,” he said.
The minister criticised the actions of the crew after the landing, noting that international aviation procedures require an aircraft involved in an abnormal occurrence to remain at the scene until accident investigators complete their initial assessment.
Rather than waiting for officials from the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau, the crew reportedly departed the location and flew the aircraft back to Lagos.
Keyamo said that development triggered swift intervention from security agencies.
“As soon as I learned the aircraft had taken off again, I contacted the Director-General of the DSS. The crew was intercepted immediately after landing in Lagos and has remained in custody for questioning,” he stated.
He stressed that the investigation is aimed at determining whether aviation safety regulations or national security protocols were violated.
The minister also addressed public concerns over the pilot’s age, revealing that the aircraft is registered in the United States and therefore operates under the regulations of its country of registration.
According to him, although Nigerian commercial pilots cannot legally fly beyond the age of 65, foreign-registered aircraft operating in Nigeria may be flown by pilots who comply with the licensing requirements of their home country.
“The aircraft is American-registered, which explains why the pilot, who is over 70 years old, was permitted to operate it under the applicable foreign regulations,” Keyamo explained.
He added that foreign-registered aircraft frequently operate in Nigeria under wet lease, dry lease, or temporary lease arrangements before returning to their countries of registration.
The incident occurred on June 10 when the US-registered Bombardier Challenger 601-3A, operated by VMO Aero Limited, departed Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, for Asaba International Airport under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR).
According to the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau’s preliminary findings, the crew abandoned its first landing attempt before making a second approach to Runway 11.
During the second attempt, the aircraft mistakenly landed on a paved road that was under construction near the airport instead of the approved runway.
The aircraft was carrying four crew members and three passengers. No injuries or fatalities were reported, and the aircraft later departed from the road and safely returned to Lagos.
Read – NSIB releases preliminary report on aircraft that landed on road near Asaba Airport
Following the incident, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority grounded the aircraft and suspended the operator’s Permit for Non-Commercial Flight pending the outcome of ongoing investigations.
The NSIB continues its technical investigation to establish the exact cause of the incident, while the NCAA is reviewing possible regulatory violations.
The DSS is simultaneously examining the security implications of the unauthorized landing.
Aviation experts say such incidents are extremely rare at controlled airports and require comprehensive investigations to determine whether pilot error, communication failures, operational negligence, or other factors contributed to the occurrence.
Keyamo reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to protecting Nigeria’s airspace, maintaining aviation safety standards, and ensuring accountability.
He assured Nigerians that appropriate sanctions would be imposed if investigators establish that aviation regulations or national security laws were breached, emphasizing that the government will continue strengthening oversight to prevent similar incidents in the future.