Panic erupted among passengers on an Air Peace flight after the windshield of an Embraer ERJ 145 aircraft shattered upon landing at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja. Among those on board was human rights advocate Omoyele Sowore.
A witness named Funmi described the incident as frightening, expressing disappointment with the airline for not providing a clear explanation. Attempts to reach Abdullahi Musa, Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, were unsuccessful.
Bimbo Olajide, spokesperson for the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), clarified that the incident, categorized as such rather than an accident, falls under the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority’s (NCAA) jurisdiction. Olajide noted that the NSIB focuses on serious incidents and accidents.
Michael Achimugu, NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs, promised to provide information but did not respond before press time. Oluwatoyin Olajide, Chief Operating Officer of Air Peace, dismissed claims of panic, asserting that passenger safety was never compromised and that the incident was a routine snag.
An anonymous airline insider confirmed that while the windshield had cracked, it was not shattered, and the aircraft has been temporarily grounded as a precaution.
