The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority has suspended the pilots involved in the recent incident in which a chartered aircraft landed on a road near the Asaba Airport in Delta State, pending the outcome of ongoing investigations.

The Director-General of the NCAA, Capt. Chris Najomo, disclosed this on Wednesday on the sidelines of the Airport Business Summit in Lagos.

He said the authority had also grounded the aircraft and suspended its Permit to Fly while investigations continue.

The unusual landing occurred last month when the chartered jet touched down on a road under construction close to the airport, raising concerns among aviation stakeholders and prompting calls for a comprehensive investigation.

According to Najomo, while the Nigeria Safety Investigation Bureau initially handled the safety aspect of the incident, the regulatory investigation has now been transferred to the NCAA.

“The investigation is still ongoing. The NSIB has handed the investigation to us, the NCAA, and we are conducting our own inquiry. As we speak, the aircraft has been grounded, the Permit to Fly has been suspended, and the pilots have also been suspended pending the outcome of our investigation,” he said.

The NCAA boss, who noted that he has more than four decades of flying experience, described the incident as highly unusual.

“As a pilot with 45 years of experience, I will not see a road and land on it,” Najomo said.

He further revealed that the Department of State Services had joined the investigation to determine whether other factors may have contributed to the incident.

“We are also looking at other possible motives. The DSS has become involved and is carrying out its own investigation too. Until the report is released, that remains the position,” he added.

Speaking at the Airport Business Summit, Najomo described the gathering as an important platform for industry stakeholders to address pressing issues affecting Nigeria’s aviation sector.

He also assured operators that the NCAA would examine complaints bordering on monopoly and anti-competitive practices to ensure fairness within the industry.

“We will carefully look into complaints relating to monopoly and anti-competitive practices. Our responsibility is to ensure fair competition, keep airlines commercially viable, protect passengers’ interests and ensure that charges within the industry remain reasonable,” he said.