Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah has defended the safety standards of Enugu Air following a runway excursion involving one of the airline’s aircraft at Benin Airport, saying the incident does not reflect the airline’s overall safety record.

In a statement, Mbah expressed sympathy for the 63 passengers and five crew members aboard the aircraft, which skidded off the runway while landing from Lagos, and thanked God that no injuries were reported. He commended the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau for promptly launching an investigation and pledged the state government’s full cooperation, saying Enugu Air’s corporate culture places safety above profit and schedule and that its internal quality standards exceed industry benchmarks. He thanked Nigerians for their continued support of the airline since the incident.

Separately, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development Festus Keyamo confirmed that all passengers and crew were safe and directed relevant aviation agencies to work with the airline to determine the cause of the incident, describing it in aviation terms as a runway excursion after a landing that was otherwise successful.

Nigeria has recorded several similar runway excursions in recent years, typically linked to hydroplaning during heavy rain, when standing water prevents aircraft tires from gripping the runway. Past incidents include an Air Peace Boeing 737 at Port Harcourt Airport in 2025, a Dana Air aircraft at Lagos in 2024, an NG Eagle aircraft also at Lagos in 2024, and a United Nigeria Airlines aircraft at Lagos in 2023, all of which resulted in no injuries or fatalities.