Flight operations at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, were brought to an abrupt halt on Thursday evening after an aircraft arriving from Lagos encountered a nose-landing gear malfunction while touching down on Runway 08.
The incident occurred around 7:10 pm, leaving the aircraft, with registration number 5N-BZN, stranded on the runway and triggering an immediate emergency response.
A source at the airport, who declined to be identified because she was not authorised to speak on the matter, told DAILY GAZETTE that the runway was immediately closed and remained shut as of the time of filing this report.
In a statement, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) spokesperson, Henry Agbebire, said emergency responders were quickly mobilised to the scene to stabilise the aircraft and safeguard all passengers and crew members.
According to him, firefighters, medical teams, and other emergency units were activated in line with aviation safety protocols.
Agbebire confirmed that all passengers and crew were safely evacuated to the terminal using apron buses.
FAAN, while confirming the aircraft’s registration number, did not disclose the identity of its operator.
The agency added that the evacuation exercise concluded at 7:48 pm without any injuries reported.
“FAAN’s Aerodrome Rescue and Firefighting Services remained stationed at the site while the aircraft and the surrounding airside area were secured,” the statement noted.
Agbebire added that further details would be provided once additional verified information becomes available, stressing that “the safety of passengers, crew, and airport users remains FAAN’s immediate priority.”
Attempts to reach the spokespersons of the Nigeria Safety Investigative Bureau, Mrs Bimbo Oladeji, and the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, Michael Achimugu, were unsuccessful, as neither responded to phone calls nor text messages regarding the incident.
