Minister of Power, Mr Adebayo Adelabu, and 12 other passengers and flight crew narrowly escaped a tragic fate as their HS 125 aircraft, bearing nationality and registration marks 5N-AMM, operated by Flint Aero, crashed in Ibadan, Oyo State airport.

The incident occurred at approximately 08:21 p.m. yesterday.

The aircraft, which had departed Abuja at 6:41 p.m., was en route to Ibadan.

Remarkably, there were no fatalities, although the aircraft sustained significant damage.

Vanguard gathered that the pilot had been cleared for an RNAV approach to Runway 22 of Samuel Ladoke Akintola Airport, Ibadan. But the plane skidded off the runway.

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Quick and efficient action allowed all passengers and crew members to be safely evacuated.

In a swift reaction, one of the Minister’s aides said in a chat that his principal was very sound and in good spirits.

He noted that Adelabu felt the incident was not something to worry about.

His words: “It was actually a minor thing, and that is how he has taken it.

“The Minister was particularly not worried by the incident because it did not involve any of the passengers leaving with any injury.

“Everyone on board the aircraft when the incident happened actually alighted without any problem, and we have no cause to worry.”

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Meanwhile, the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau, NSIB, has initiated an inquest into the accident.

In a statement, the Director, Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, NSIB, James Odaudu, who confirmed the accident, stated that the agency had been notified and it had commenced investigation.

He stated that the aircraft, with 10 passengers and three crew members, was en route to Ibadan from Abuja.

“The aircraft, on final approach to landing on Runway 22, Ibadan Airport, crashed short of the runway,” Odandu said.

“There was no fatality as all passengers and crew were safely evacuated.

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“As the investigating agency, NSIB needs and hereby solicits your assistance. We want the public to know that we would be amenable to receiving any video clip, relevant evidence, or information any members of the public may have of the accident; that can assist us with this investigation.

“The Bureau will appreciate that the general public and press respect the privacy of the people involved and not assume the cause of the serious incident until a formal report is released.

“The Bureau will release the preliminary report as soon as possible.”

In the history of Nigerian aviation, a large number of air crashes have been recorded. Sadly, Adelabu is not the only government functionary who has been involved in plane crashes.

Former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo escaped death on February 2, 2019, when his helicopter crash-landed in Kogi State.

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That was the second time his helicopter would crash land. In June 2017, he survived a similar accident when the chopper he was travelling in crash-landed shortly after taking off in Gwagawalada, Abuja.

On May 21, 2021, the NAF Beechcraft King Air Craft crashed en route to Kaduna International Airport from the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport killing all the 11 occupants including Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, who was the Chief of Staff position at the time.

On December 15, 2012, the nation was thrown into mourning with the news of four persons dead, including Governor Patrick Yakowa of Kaduna State and former National Security Adviser to the President, General Owoeye Azazi. They were reportedly burnt in a helicopter crash that occurred in the forest of the Okoroba community in Nembe local government of Bayelsa State.

Earlier, precisely on October 25, 2012, the governor of Taraba State, Danbaba Suntai, and five of his aides narrowly escaped death when a Cessna 208 aircraft marked 5N-BMJ and piloted by Suntai, lost contact with the Yola Control Tower 38 miles to landing, after leaving Jalingo, the Taraba State capital and crashed into a hill in Adamawa.