The Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Captain Chris Najomo, has confirmed that the pilot involved in the recent incident at Asaba Airport has been barred from operating in Nigerian airspace pending the outcome of ongoing investigations.
Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the Airport Business Summit in Lagos, Najomo said the pilot-in-command had been removed from flight duties, while the aircraft involved has been grounded and its Permit to Fly (PNCF) suspended.
He explained that although the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) carried out the initial safety investigation, the regulatory phase of the probe is now being handled independently by the NCAA. He added that the Department of State Services (DSS) is also participating in the investigation.
Najomo, who has over 45 years of flying experience, described the incident as unprecedented, expressing disbelief that an aircraft could mistake a road for a runway.
He assured the public that the NCAA would conduct a thorough investigation to determine the cause of the incident and take all necessary regulatory actions based on its findings.
