Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu on Saturday allayed fears about his safety following Friday’s air crash near the Ladoke Akintola Airport in Ibadan, Oyo State.
A source close to the Minister told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibadan that Adelabu was in good spirits and not perturbed by the incident.
The tragedy was averted when the aircraft, which departed the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja landed short of the threshold with about 50 metres and skidded into a bushy ditch close to the runway of the Samuel Ladoke Akintola Airport Ibadan.
The flight, which had departed Abuja at 6:41 p.m., crash-landed at approximately 7:21 p.m
”The minister feels the incident is not something to worry about. It was actually a minor thing, and that is how he has taken it,” an aide of Adelabu, who asked to stay anonymous, said.
The aide further told NAN that the minister was particularly not worried by the incident because it did not involve any of the passengers leaving with any injury.
”Everyone on board the aircraft when the incident happened actually alighted without any problem, and we have no cause to worry,” the aide added.
But the incident happened after the Nigerian Metrological Agency (NiMET) issued travel warning based on hazy weather and the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) also advised Pilots and Airline Operators to exercise caution over hazardous weather as the dry season approaches.
Dr James Odaudu, Director, Public Affairs and Consumer Protection of the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), said investigation was ongoing.
“On the accident involving an aircraft operated by Flint Aero at the Samuel Ladoke Akintola Airport Ibadan, please be informed that the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has commenced investigation into the cause. Our investigators are on site, and further information will be provided as soon as possible,” he said in a terse statement.