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

Lagos: Police Arrest Security Guard For Stealing Generators, Others

Published

13 hours ago

August 23, 2025

Editor

The Lagos State Police Command has arrested a 38-year-old security guard for allegedly breaking into an apartment and carting away household items worth about N1.8 million.

Police spokesperson, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, disclosed the arrest in a statement released on Saturday, adding that the suspect was tracked down by officers attached to the Iju Police Division.

He said operatives from the Iju Division apprehended the suspect following a report from a resident of the Ifako area, who returned home on August 15 to find his house burgled.

“Stolen items included a Sumec generator, a Fireman generator, a National air conditioner, and three air conditioner compressor engines, all valued at N1.8 million.

“Detectives arrested the suspect in the same neighbourhood after investigations revealed he conspired with others, who are still at large, to commit the crime,” Hundeyin said.

He added that the stolen items have been recovered, and efforts are ongoing to apprehend his accomplices.

Hundeyin said the case would be charged in court upon completion of investigations.

The Commissioner of Police, Mr. Olohundare Jimoh, assured residents that the command would leave no stone unturned in bringing criminals to justice and urged employers to conduct proper background checks before hiring staff.

Metro

NAF Kills 35 Terrorists In Border Airstrikes Near Cameroon

Published

13 hours ago

August 23, 2025

Editor

The Nigeria Air Force said it had killed more than 35 jihadists in raids Saturday on militant fighters that had gathered near the Nigeria–Cameroon border following an attempted attack on ground troops.

The air strike was the latest by the Nigerian military, which is battling a resurgence of attacks in the country’s embattled northwest.

“Acting on multiple intelligence from several sources, the Air Component executed precision strikes in successive passes, engaging the terrorists and neutralising more than 35 fighters at four identified assembly areas,” said a Nigerian Air Force statement.

It re-established communication with the ground troops that had been threatened, and they confirmed that the “situation around their location had been stabilised,” the statement added.

The strike had “intensified efforts” to dominate the battles field and “deny terrorists freedom of action,” said the statement.

While Nigeria’s 16-year-old insurgency has slowed since violence peaked around 2015, attacks have picked up since the beginning of the year.

The Air Force said the latest operation demonstrated the force’s commitment to providing close air support to ground forces, “while also disrupting terrorist logistics and movement corridors along the north east border regions.”

AFP

Metro

Police Arrest Man For Allegedly Dismembering Pregnant Sister-in-law In Kwara

Published

14 hours ago

August 23, 2025

Editor

The police command in Kwara says it arrested a man, who allegedly dismembered the body of his pregnant sister-in-law, Mrs Esther Enemo at Egbejila Road in Temidire community, Ilorin.

This is contained in a statement by the command Spokesperson, Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, on Saturday in Ilorin.

According to Ejire-Adeyemi, the command wishes to inform members of the public of a tragic incident that occurred in the early hours of Aug. 21, at Temidire community in Ilorin.
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‎”At about 9 a.m., a resident of the area reported a suspected foul play within the residence of one Mrs Esther Enemo.

“In a swift response, a team of police detectives visited the scene, where the dismembered body of Mrs Esther Enemo (aged 39 years) was discovered in the bush behind her residence.

“Further search led to the recovery of other parts of her body concealed in a sack and dumped beneath a nearby community bridge.
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‎”The suspect, (names withheld), aged 29 years, younger brother to the victim’s husband, who was seen leaving the house a few minutes before the discovery of the incident, has been arrested in connection with the crime.

”Meanwhile, the husband has also been contacted for necessary clarification.
“The remains of the deceased have been deposited at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH) morgue for autopsy.

‎”The Commissioner of Police (CP), Ojo Adekimi, has ordered a full-scale investigation into the matter, assuring that the command will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that justice is served,” he said.
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Ejire-Adeyemi expressed the command regret of the unfortunate incident and appealed to members of the public to remain calm and avoid speculations that would incite fear or tension within the community.

He assured that the police would unravel the circumstances surrounding the incident and bring the perpetrators to face the full weight of the law.

He urged the residents to continue to cooperate with the police by providing useful information that would aid ongoing investigations and security operations.

He reiterated the command to resolve to protect all residents and ensure peace prevailed in the state.

NAN