An Air France flight from Abuja reportedly disembarked 61 Nigerian passengers in neighboring Chad and allegedly abandoned them there.
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development Festus Keyamo, SAN, announced the development on his Twitter account on Saturday evening.
The minister directed the Consumer Protection Department of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to take immediate action and engage Air France regarding the fate of the Nigerian passengers.
In a video released by Keyamo, passengers, including former House of Representatives member Hon. Johnson Agbonayima, expressed hope that Nigerian authorities would swiftly address their plight.
Keyamo stated: “I have learned that some Nigerians on an Air France flight from Paris to Abuja are stranded in Chad, where the aircraft had earlier dropped off some passengers.
“I have directed the NCAA Consumer Protection Department to take immediate action and contact Air France. We will soon update everyone on the outcome. Meanwhile, I call on @AirFranceNG to promptly issue a statement regarding the fate of these Nigerians.”
Following the minister’s directive, the NCAA provided an update, stating that the Air France aircraft experienced a technical failure due to weather conditions.
Responding to Keyamo’s directive on X, NCAA Consumer Protection Department head Michael Achimugu said the affected 61 passengers were accommodated in two hotels in Chad while awaiting a flight to Abuja.
Achimugu stated: “We have contacted the airline. The aircraft experienced a technical failure due to weather conditions. All 61 passengers have been accommodated in two hotels. Discussions are ongoing to ensure the passengers are flown out as soon as possible. More information will be provided shortly.”
Last week, Turkish Airlines reportedly left over 300 Nigerian passengers stranded at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos. The Nigerian Federal Government intervened and arranged for the passengers to be flown to Istanbul, a situation that had infuriated the government.
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