Flight operations at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA) in Abuja were briefly disrupted on Thursday after a private jet suffered a tyre burst while landing, prompting a temporary closure of the runway.
The incident occurred around 2 p.m., leading airport authorities to halt all takeoffs and landings until the affected aircraft was removed from the runway.
Confirming the development, the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Michael Achimugu, said normal operations have since resumed.
“I was informed that a private aircraft experienced a tyre burst on landing. The aircraft has been cleared from the runway, and operations are back to normal,” Achimugu stated.
He explained that the aircraft, while attempting to exit the runway through taxiway A4, veered slightly off course, causing its nose wheel to become stuck in the grass verge, with its fuselage still positioned partly on the runway.
“Consequently, the runway was closed temporarily to allow for the safe towing of the aircraft,” he added.
The brief disruption marks yet another temporary closure at the Abuja airport. A similar incident occurred on November 12, 2023, when an Aero Contractors flight (registration 5N-BYQ) also had its nose wheel stuck in the grass verge after landing, forcing authorities to shut down the runway for several hours.
Thursday’s incident was swiftly managed by airport emergency response teams, with flight activities fully restored shortly afterward.
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