Metro

Passengers Recount Ordeal As Lagos-Abuja Bound Flight Lands In Delta

Published

2 years ago

November 28, 2023

Some passengers who boarded a plane from the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Ikeja, Lagos have recounted their ordeals after the plane which was meant to carry the passengers to Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, landed at the Asaba Airport in Delta State.

The incident which happened on Sunday threw many passengers into confusion as some of them said upon landing at the Asaba airport, the crew still announced to them that they had arrived at Abuja.

One of the passengers, who gave her name simply as Thelma, said she thought she was dreaming and had to take pictures of the airport as evidence.

In an interview with The PUNCH late Sunday, Thelma said the pilot of the United Airlines flight apologised to passengers that he got the wrong flight plan.

Thelma said, “We were surprised and shocked, especially when one of the crew members announced that we had arrived in Abuja. Some of the passengers had walked towards the front to know what was happ13ening. Some even wondered if the plane had been hijacked. We were there for about 15 minutes when the pilot said he got the wrong flight plan. He said we would fly to Abuja shortly.”

Thelma said when the flight took off in Lagos, she suspected that it might be going the wrong route because “it was flying by the coastline” which she noted was unusual.

“It was making sense until I found out that we were in Asaba,” she added.

A Kano politician, Dawisu Yakasai, who was also on the plane, said it was obvious the pilot was given the wrong plan from Lagos.

“Nigeria my country. We departed Lagos about an hour ago on @flyunitedng to Abuja, and upon arrival, the cabin crew confidently announced that we’d arrived Abuja, only for us to realise that we landed in Asaba. Apparently, our pilot was given the wrong flight plan from Lagos,” Dawisu wrote on his X handle, @Dawisu.

Other passengers who were also on the flight took to social media to narrate their experiences with some sharing videos and pictures of when they were on the flight.

Thelma who had earlier posted about the incident on X via @Tesidorth, later told PUNCH Metro that the plane eventually left for Abuja and they got there later in the evening.

But reacting in a statement signed by its head, Corporate Communications, Achilleus-Chud Uchegbu, on Sunday night, the United Nigeria Airlines said its flight, NUA 0504, operating from Lagos en route Abuja on Sunday was “temporarily diverted to the Asaba International Airport due to poor destination weather.”

The airline said the pilot was at all material times aware of the diversion and was properly briefed.

“However, a wrong announcement was made by the cabin crew upon landing safely in Asaba, creating confusion among the passengers,” the statement partly read.

In another development, however, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, on Monday, summoned heads of aviation regulatory agencies over safety concerns in the sector.

The minister said a thorough assessment of recent incidents would be carried out during the meeting.

“Due to safety concerns in the aviation sector expressed by members of the public, I have summoned the heads of the regulatory agencies to my office later today to review the incidents that are the causes of these concerns and to ensure that appropriate steps are taken to forestall future occurrence and to apply sanctions, where necessary, regarding the past incidents,” he tweeted on X.

Metro

Man Arrested In Edo For Alleged Abduction Of 4-year-old

Published

4 hours ago

January 8, 2026

Editor

21-year-old ThankGod Destiny has been arrested by the Edo State Security Corps, ESSC, for allegedly kidnapping a four-year-old boy in the state.

Deputy Corps Commander, Operations, of the ESSC, Richard Balogun, who disclosed this to newsmen in Benin on Thursday, said the suspect has been handed over to the police for further investigation and prosecution.

Balogun, while disclosing that the incident happened on January 4, 2026 at Ikpoba Hill, Benin, said the arrest of the suspect followed an alarm raised by a commercial bus driver and a female passenger.

The ESSC commander said, “On January 4, 2026, a woman went out with her son at lkpoba Hill in Benin city. A few minutes later, the son disappeared from her sight.
This suspect identified as ThankGod Destiny had allegedly kidnapped the four-year-old boy.

“The little boy was hurriedly taken into a commercial bus going towards kings Square in Benin city.

“The driver of the bus who noticed a great difference in resemblance between the little boy and the man, however questioned where he was heading with the little boy.

“He lied that the boy is ill and he is taking him to the hospital. But later on, a female passenger asked him about his destination with the boy. He replied that he was going to buy the boy shoe.

“The various replies made the driver and the woman raise the alarm. The alarm attracted men of the Edo State Security Corps who were on patrol. The suspect was immediately arrested and the kidnapped little boy rescued unhurt.”

Balogun, who said the victim has been reunited with his family, assured that the Corps will continue to hunt for criminals in the state.

Metro

Imo Police Arrest Man Accused Of Defilement In Viral Video

Published

4 hours ago

January 8, 2026

Editor

Imo State Police Command has arrested one 24-year-old man, Wisdom Onyeaju, from Umuekweye, Irete, Owerri-West Local Government Area, in connection with an alleged case of defilement.

The command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Okoye Henry, made this known in a statement on Thursday.

DSP Henry said the arrest followed credible information received by the Command from the family of the victim, who had earlier drawn public attention to the incident through a viral video circulating on social media.

According to Henry, the suspect is currently in custody and undergoing thorough investigation at the State Criminal Investigation Department, SCID.

The police mouthpiece further said that the suspect would be arraigned in court with the appropriate charges upon the conclusion of investigation.

DSP Henry also disclosed that the Command has also identified and detained the police officers alleged to have been involved in professional misconduct in the course of handling the case.

“An orderly room trial has been scheduled to commence on Monday, 12th January, 2026, to address the misconduct in line with extant police regulations.

“We remain committed to professionalism, transparency, and accountability. Justice will be served in this matter,” the Command assured.

Metro

Edo widow-lawyer Diabolically Blinded Over Contract Seeks Okpebholo’s Intervention

Published

23 hours ago

January 7, 2026

Editor

…says efforts to meet gov blocked

A blind-widow and mother of four, Barr. Benny Francis, has appealed to Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State to intervene over what she described as injustice meted on her and her children.

She lamented that after her husband, who was the breadwinner of the family, was knocked down by a bus chased by the then Kelly Okungbowa aka Ebo-Stone-led Edo State Task Force, all her efforts to meet with the governor had proved abortive.

“When the governor heard about the incident, we were told he asked “where is the family of the man?” The governor is actually interested in the case but we are being blocked from gaining access. I have met with the Coordinator of the First Lady, and she was trying to arrange for our meeting with the governor, but in one of my visits to the Office to the Office of the First Lady, I met Ebo-Stone in the office, so I waited at the reception. To my own surprise, the Coordinator didn’t meet with me that day despite the fact that she was the one that asked me to come. Till this moment, no attempt from that end. This is what happens to any highly placed political office holders I met regarding my ordeal. They may attend to me and listen to me initially, but once I meet them with Ebo-Stone, their doors become completely shut against me. I don’t know what they are hiding,” she narrated.

Narrating how her tragic and pathetic story started on Wednesday, she said, until the tragic incident that happened to her that led to her losing her sight, “she was a contractor with the Edo State Oil and Gas Producing Areas Development Commission (EDSOGPADEC) and was awarded a contract to construct a 10-unit staff quarters in Ughoton Community, Edo State.”

She added that “during the execution of this project, I was diabolically attacked and rendered blind,” stressing that “following this unfortunate incident, EDSOGPADEC assured me that they would compensate me for all my losses, settle my medical bills, and support my recovery. Unfortunately, these promises were never fulfilled.

“The former Secretary to the State Government (Barr. Osarodion Ogie) directed them to provide me with a Prado Jeep and a hilux to assist with my mobility, but after the car was delivered, the former Oil and Gas Chairman ordered its retrieval within 24 hours under the pretext of repairs. Till date, the vehicle has not been returned.

“In pursuit of justice, I took the matter to court, where I initially demanded N1 billion in damages. The government pleaded for a settlement of N300 million, but after court deliberations, it was agreed that I would receive N500 million in compensation. Despite this legal resolution, only N50 million was offered, which I was advised to reject due to the lack of a conclusive agreement. Since then, the government has failed to fulfill their promises, including offering me new contracts as earlier pledged.

“As a result of this ordeal, I lost all my properties, including my home, cars, and valuables to the bank, as I had taken loans to finance the EDSOGPADEC project. My financial situation has deteriorated drastically, leaving me struggling to survive.”

She lamented that “as if my suffering was not enough, tragedy struck again on December 11, 2024. My husband, who had been my only pillar of support, was tragically killed in an accident caused by the Edo State Task Force under the current administration.

“He was struck by a bus driver being pursued by the Task Force, led by a man known as “Able Stone”, and the vehicle crushed his head. He was rushed to the Edo Specialist Hospital and later referred to UBTH, where he sadly passed away by 5:00 PM that same day.

“I lost my husband when I was five months pregnant and left to care for four young children, now as a widow, with no means of support. I have made several attempts to meet with His Excellency, Sen. Monday Okpebholo, to personally narrate my plight, but all efforts have been unsuccessful.”

The widow, who debunked Ebo-Stone’s claim that he has compensated her and the children, appealed to the governor to “as a father and a man of compassion, to intervene in my case. I seek the support of the Edo State Government.”

Contacted, Ebo-Stone picked the phone call but hurriedly said “I am in a party,” and ended the call immediately he heard journalist. The SMS sent to his telephone as a follow-up was not responded to as at when filing the report.