Flight operations were disrupted at the Asaba International Airport in Delta State over the weekend after an Air Peace aircraft struck a large antelope while taxiing on the runway.
The incident, which occurred on Saturday, left the animal crushed and rendered the aircraft unserviceable, resulting in the delay and rescheduling of affected flights.
Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Mr. Michael Achimugu, confirmed the development in a statement posted via his official X handle on Sunday.
According to him, the aircraft was declared AOG—Aircraft on Ground—following the collision, and engineers have since been deployed to assess and repair the damage.
“Monitoring reports yesterday indicated that an Air Peace aircraft ran into a large antelope, decimating the animal and leaving the aircraft AOG,” Mr. Achimugu stated.
While acknowledging the unexpected nature of the incident, the NCAA spokesperson pointed out that such occurrences, though outside the direct control of airlines, do not absolve them from their obligations to passengers.
“This explainer is for illustration purposes, not to excuse airlines when they fail to do their duties to passengers,” he said. “Even with situations like this, the airline still owes its passengers the information, refund, and other forms of care they are entitled to, and can still be sanctioned if they fail to provide the same.”
Mr. Achimugu used the opportunity to highlight the importance of improved airport safety and wildlife management protocols across the country’s aerodromes. He also urged airport authorities to ensure runways are kept secure from stray animals that could jeopardise air safety.
The NCAA assured the travelling public that efforts are ongoing to restore the aircraft to service and resume normal flight schedules.
The incident once again brings to fore the challenges of ensuring proper fencing and wildlife control in Nigerian airports—an issue aviation stakeholders have repeatedly flagged as critical to passenger safety.
