Kano Airport records another air incident as plane crash-lands

No fewer than 11 people narrowly escaped death after a private jet crash-landed at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport on Sunday morning.

The passengers and cabin crew were safely evacuated from the aircraft, according to eyewitnesses.

The private jet, owned by Flybird Aviation, crash-landed at about 9:30 a.m. while approaching Kano Airport on a flight from Kano to Abuja.

Emergency officials and airport workers quickly rushed to the runway to carry out rescue operations.

As of the time of this report, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has not released an official statement on the incident. Unofficial sources said the passengers were taken away from the airport, but their destination was not disclosed.

Kano Airport has recorded several air incidents in the past. One of the most tragic occurred in May 2002, when an EAS Airline aircraft crashed shortly after taking off from the airport on its way to Lagos. The plane developed engine problems and crashed into a residential area in Gwammaja, killing at least 73 people on the ground.

In a related incident, on May 23, 2025, two people were seriously injured when a training aircraft crash-landed at Ilorin International Airport. The aircraft veered off the runway during a training exercise and stopped on a grassy area.

The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) said both occupants were rescued and taken to a hospital. The agency has sent an investigation team to determine the cause of the crash.

NSIB Director General, Captain Alex Badeh Jr., said the investigation would help improve aviation safety and prevent future accidents.