Reports say, Borno Deputy Governor, Alhaji Umar Kadafur, and over 100 passengers have escaped death, when the engine of the Aircraft they were traveling in to Abuja caught fire, barely 10 minutes after takeoff from the Maiduguri International Airport.
The incident which was said to have occurred at about 7 pm on Wednesday, caused pandemonium, as the pilot and the crew managed to make a U-turn/emergency landing at the Maiduguri airport.
A source who is not authorised to speak confirmed the incident on Thursday, even as he said the management of the airline had immediately mobilised another aircraft from Kano which conveyed some of the resilient passengers, including the deputy governor, to Abuja safely.
He said that, “soon after takeoff, a bird struck the aircraft, resulting in one of the engines to catch fire.”
It was gathered that after the emergency landing, some of the passengers retreated and went back home, even as the airport authority assured them that another plane was on its way from Kano.
Uptil the time of this report there has been no account of any injuries.
(Editor : Ena Agbanoma)
