Engineer’s Quick Action Prevents Air Disaster on Ibom Airlines Flight: Passenger Recounts Ordeal

In a remarkable act of vigilance, an engineer’s keen observation averted a potential disaster on an Ibom Airlines flight from Lagos to Abuja, according to a passenger’s account.

Joe Abah, a former Director-General of the Bureau of Public Service Reforms, shared his harrowing experience on social media, detailing how an alert engineer prevented a likely catastrophe just as the aircraft was about to take off.

Mr. Abah boarded the 7:00 a.m. flight on Thursday, April 25, along with other passengers, including his friend Seun Onigbinde. The aircraft door had been closed, and the passengers were prepared for departure when a loud knock echoed from outside. The knock caused a flight attendant to open the door, allowing a ground engineer to enter the aircraft.

The engineer then informed the crew that the aircraft’s landing gear was faulty, prompting the pilot to make an announcement explaining that additional checks were needed. Shortly afterward, the passengers were asked to disembark for safety reasons.

“I thank God that we have systems in place to check this and avert potential disaster,” Mr. Abah tweeted. “And that we have some diligent Nigerians who take their work seriously.”

Ibom Airlines issued a statement confirming the incident, stating that during routine pre-flight checks, an engineer noticed an issue with the aircraft’s nose gear. The airline assured passengers that safety is a priority and apologized for the delay caused by the necessary inspection.

The incident comes at a time when the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) is under scrutiny due to increasing safety concerns among domestic airlines. Just a day prior, the NCAA suspended Dana Air’s operating license after one of its aircraft experienced a runway incursion.

Although the timely action of the Ibom Airlines engineer prevented a possible disaster, the incident has reignited concerns about the safety of domestic air travel in Nigeria. Passengers and industry experts are calling on the NCAA to step up its regulatory oversight to ensure passenger safety and prevent future incidents.