A private jet having about 10 persons onboard including Very Important Personalities (VIPs) has overshot the runway at an airport in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

An impeccable source said the incident happened on Friday around 11 am at the Samuel Ladoke Akintola Airport.

The jet with registration number, N580KR, missed the runway and skidded into the nearby bush.

Firefighters and rescue officials from the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) were immediately deployed to the scene. But there was no death or casualty recorded.

“It was a private plane from Abuja. It landed safely but overshot the runway. There was no casualty,” a spokesperson for the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Carol Adekotujo, told our correspondent over the phone.

When contacted, a spokesman for the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) Tunji Oketunmbi, confirmed the incident but said a team had been dispatched to the site for a probe.

The rate of aviation incidents in the past few months has been concerning despite the sacking and replacement of heads of aviation agencies. In November, the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, escaped death when a plane he was on board crash-landed at the same airport.

‘Urgent Repair’

Meanwhile, an Abuja-based lawyer, Pelumi Olajengbesi, has said there is a need for an urgent repair of the Ibadan Airport runway to guarantee the safety of lives.

“The paramount concern for the safety of air travel now brings to light the precarious condition of Ibadan Airport’s runway,” he wrote on Facebook while reacting to Friday’s incident.

“Urgent action is not just necessary; it is an immediate imperative to avert future catastrophes. Beyond a mere plea for the convenience of airport users, it is a heartfelt demand to protect lives.

“We cannot afford to gamble with the potential repercussions of a delayed response. I earnestly implore the relevant authorities to swiftly close Ibadan Airport temporarily and embark on the essential repairs needed for the runway. Let us prioritize the safety of our citizens and elevate our air travel infrastructure to the highest standards.” (Channels TV, bt headline rejigged)

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