Abuja, Nigeria – An Air Peace flight scheduled to depart from Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja to Lagos faced an unexpected emergency stop on the runway on Thursday morning. The incident, reportedly occurring around 6:30 am, left passengers shaken after the plane came to an abrupt halt just before takeoff.
According to eyewitness accounts, some passengers were jolted by the sudden stop, with a few screaming in alarm. Human rights lawyer Inibehe Effiong, who was onboard, recounted the experience on Facebook, explaining that the plane’s captain attributed the emergency halt to a bird strike. “Thankfully, whatever happened did not occur after takeoff. It would have been scarier,” Effiong wrote. He further questioned whether there was a bird detection radar tracking system at the domestic wing of the airport.
Following the incident, the passengers were deboarded to await either repairs to the aircraft or a replacement plane. Air Peace swiftly provided a substitute aircraft to ensure minimal disruption and allow passengers to continue their journey.
Dr. Ejike Ndiulo, Head of Corporate Communications at Air Peace, confirmed that the bird strike occurred before takeoff, leading to a “ramp return” as a precautionary measure. He assured that all passengers disembarked without incident. “We have deployed a replacement aircraft for the affected flight in order to minimize disruptions, thus ensuring that passengers continue their journeys promptly,” Ndiulo stated. He appealed for the understanding of passengers affected by this delay, as well as those on other flights potentially impacted.
“At Air Peace, we are committed to providing safe, comfortable, and reliable air travel for all our passengers,” he added, reinforcing the airline’s priority on safety protocols and passenger care.