FAAN denies antelope-aircraft collision occurred at Abuja airport
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has clarified that the reported collision between an Air Peace aircraft and an antelope did not occur at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, as widely speculated.
In a statement signed by Mrs. Obiageli Orah, Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at FAAN, the agency expressed sympathy to those affected by the incident but stressed that the event took place at Asaba Airport in Delta State, which is owned and managed by the Delta State Government, not FAAN.
This clarification comes in the wake of a public post by Mike Achimugu, Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), who stated on Sunday via his official X account that the Air Peace aircraft had struck a large antelope, killing the animal and leaving the aircraft grounded. Achimugu noted that flight disruptions were expected as engineers assessed the aircraft’s condition.
“Incidents like this are literal illustrations of the disruptions not caused by the airlines,” Achimugu explained. He emphasized that while airlines may not be at fault for such occurrences, they are still required to provide passengers with adequate information, refunds, and care — and can be sanctioned if they fail to do so.
FAAN has urged the public and media outlets to verify reports through official channels to prevent the spread of misinformation.
