The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has suspended the two pilots involved in the recent aircraft landing incident near Asaba Airport, barring them from operating in Nigerian airspace pending the outcome of an ongoing investigation.
Director-General of the NCAA, Capt. Chris Najomo, announced the suspension on Wednesday while speaking at the Airport Business Summit (ABSE 2026) in Lagos.
Najomo said both the pilot-in-command and the second-in-command have been prohibited from flying as a precautionary measure to allow for a thorough investigation into the incident.
He added that the Bombardier Challenger 601-3A aircraft, operated by VMO Aero, has also been grounded after the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) transferred the case to the NCAA for regulatory action.
“The investigation is still ongoing. The aircraft is grounded and the pilots are suspended from flying in this airspace until we conclude our investigation,” Najomo said.
He explained that the decision was necessary to preserve the integrity of the investigation and uphold aviation safety standards.
Reflecting on the incident, Najomo, who has 45 years of experience as a pilot, said he found the circumstances unusual.
“As a pilot for 45 years, one does not see a road and land on the road. We will examine every possible motive and factor surrounding the incident,” he said.
The NCAA boss also revealed that the Department of State Services (DSS) is participating in the investigation to determine what led to the occurrence.
According to him, the suspension of the pilots, the grounding of the aircraft and the suspension of the operator’s Permit for Non-Commercial Flight (PNCF) will remain in force until investigations are concluded and appropriate regulatory decisions are taken.
Najomo reaffirmed the NCAA’s commitment to maintaining the highest safety standards and strengthening regulatory oversight in Nigeria’s aviation sector.
The incident occurred on June 10 when the VMO Aero-operated Bombardier Challenger 601-3A reportedly landed on a road under construction near Asaba Airport before later taking off and flying to Lagos. Preliminary findings by investigators indicated that the aircraft departed the road and completed its flight to Lagos without further incident.