What could have resulted in a tragedy was averted on Friday when an aircraft belonging to Arik Air, conveying the new Governor of Adamawa, Bala Ngilari, and 199 passengers, was diverted to Kano.
The aircraft which was on its way to Abuja was said to have been diverted by the pilot after a crew member announced to passengers on board that it was raining heavily in Abuja and as a result, the plane would not be able to land.
However, the aircraft, which took off from Yola, the Adamawa State capital, with the governor and some of his aides, developed a major fault upon landing in Kano with the passengers remaining stranded.
It was learnt that the announcement that the plane had developed a mechanical fault was made by the pilot after the crew members tried to give various excuses for delaying the flight.
“We were told that they were refuelling,” one of the passengers on the plane told Huhuonline.com. “We waited endlessly and it was when we started complaining openly that they told us that the aircraft, marked W3 409, had a mechanical fault.”
He said the pilot diverted the plane to Kano when the passengers thought they were fast approaching Abuja.
As at the time of this report, the passengers were still at the airport in Kano.
Asked what the fate of the passengers was, the source said for now, they remain stranded in Kano. He added that though the pilot said he has contacted his office for another aircraft, nothing has indicated that they would leave Kano.
“I am sure we will sleep at the airport here. Look at the time. If since afternoon we are still here, then I don’t have any hope that something would be done,” he said.
At the time of this report, there has not been any formal statement from Arik Air over the incident.
