On Monday, a terrifying incident unfolded at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja when the windshield of an Air Peace Embraer ERJ 145 aircraft cracked during landing, leaving passengers in a state of panic.
As the aircraft approached the runway, the windshield reportedly shattered, alarming both the passengers onboard and the aviation personnel present. Among those on the flight was human rights advocate Omoyele Sowore, who expressed concern about the event.
Witnessing the ordeal, a passenger named Funmi described the incident as frightening and voiced her dissatisfaction with the airline’s failure to provide an explanation for the windshield malfunction. Attempts to obtain comments from the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Abdullahi Musa, were unsuccessful, as he did not respond to calls or messages.
In response to inquiries about the incident, Bimbo Olajide, spokesperson for the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), indicated that while the NSIB investigates transport accidents, this particular incident should be addressed by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA). Olajide clarified that the NSIB typically investigates serious accidents, while this situation fell under the category of a minor incident.
When contacted for clarification, Michael Achimugu, the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at the NCAA, promised to follow up with staff and provide a response, but no update was received by press time.
In an attempt to explain the situation, Oluwatoyin Olajide, the Chief Operating Officer of Air Peace, reacted angrily to suggestions that the incident caused panic among passengers. She asserted that the safety of those flying was never compromised, stating, “What panic for the flying public? Can you verify what you’ve just said?”
While denying the seriousness of the situation, an anonymous insider from the airline confirmed the incident, noting that the aircraft was temporarily taken out of service as a precaution. They clarified that the windshield had cracked but had not completely shattered, contradicting earlier reports.
