Former Anambra State Governor, Mr Peter Obi, has expressed relief over the safe evacuation of all 68 passengers and crew members involved in a runway excursion involving an Enugu Air aircraft during landing at Benin Airport on Thursday.
In a post on his X handle on Friday, Obi said he received the news “with profound relief,” joining other Nigerians in expressing gratitude that no injuries or casualties were recorded. Saying “the safety of human lives must always remain our highest priority.”
He commended the pilot, the flight crew, and the airport emergency response teams at Benin Airport for their swift and professional handling of the situation, which he said averted what could have been a major tragedy. “Their calmness and decisiveness under pressure are deeply commendable,” Obi noted.
While celebrating the safe outcome, the former governor cautioned that the incident should serve as a reminder of the critical need for strict adherence to aviation safety protocols, rigorous routine maintenance, and continuous infrastructure upgrades across airports nationwide.
Obi called on regulatory and investigative bodies—particularly the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB)—to conduct a thorough, transparent, and timely investigation into the root cause of this incident.
“Learning from occurrences such as this is essential to strengthening public confidence in our aviation sector and ensuring that our skies remain consistently safe,” he added.
