How Customs Officer Almost Crashed Into Dana Plane On Runway

On the airside of the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos, a near accident between a speeding vehicle and a Dana Air plane taxiing to take off on Runway 18L of the airport was avoided.

The sad occurrence occurred on December 21, 2021, less than a week after a landing Max Air jet nearly collided with a faulty automobile being tested on Runway 18L.
The most recent incident involves a Dana Air MD 83 jet with the registration number 5N JOY that was flying from Lagos to Enugu with 157 passengers and seven staff members on board.

The plane was taxiing to Runway 18L for takeoff when the fast automobile came dangerously close to colliding with it.

Lagos business news reports that a taxiway is a path that connects a runway to another part of an airport for airplanes.
According to witnesses, the car, which allegedly belonged to the Nigeria Customs Service, was being driven by one of its officers at the time of the event.

The enraged pilot was alleged to have promptly reported the incident to the Lagos airport control tower.
Following that, NAMA officials in the control tower alerted FAAN’s airside troops, who quickly pursued the driver.

“The pilot of Dana Air flight 0371 complained angrily about a military vehicle that drove dangerously past his nose, prompting him to apply brakes unexpectedly,” an FAAN source close to the incident claimed. The car was spotted by NAMA authorities in the control tower, who quickly ordered FAAN airside officers to detain the squad. MM123 was able to apprehend the vehicle.

The control tower was informed that it was a Customs car. They were taken to AVSEC for further questioning right away. At 11:27 a.m., the Dana plane took off. Wilfed.T., with ODC number 36789, is the name of the Customs driver apprehended by MM123.”

Officials from the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency and the Nigerian Federal Airports Authority verified the incident on the condition of anonymity since they were not permitted to comment publicly about it.

Mrs. Henrieta Yakubu, FAAN’s General Manager, Public Affairs, confirmed the development, but added that the agency had subsequently enhanced security at the airport’s airside following the event.
“On the airside, we’ve beefed up security,” she said. She didn’t go into any further detail.

The driver, however, was not likely trained in airside driving, according to FAAN officials.

“Other agencies occasionally send fresh police to the airport, but I’m not sure if FAAN verifies that these cops are properly trained in airside driving.” I believe this motorist lacked sufficient airside driving training. “It’s improbable that someone who has been trained in airside driving would act in such a risky manner,” an FAAN official said on the condition of anonymity.

Lagos business news reports that following the Max Air incident, the FAAN suspended a number of officials. Officials indicated the agency needed to take steps to tighten airside security at the flagship airport, but our correspondent could not establish if a similar move was done after the current incident.

FAAN had previously been involved in major runway and airside incursion incidents.
On December 27, 2019, there was chaos at the Lagos airport’s airside when an unidentified individual entered the airside unexpectedly and mounted a moving Air Peace plane.

The suspect was eventually apprehended by security officers after the captain of a private airplane approaching the Air Peace plane alerted them.

The incident occurred just six months after a man gained access to the Lagos airport and climbed aboard an Azman Airlines flight destined for Port Harcourt.

Usman Adamu of the Republic of Niger was later recognized as the individual, who was initially thought to be mentally ill.

The Nigerien, according to the police, could not speak or understand English.

The authorities indicated at the time that they were still looking into how Adamu got inside the restricted area of the airport.

Adamu was seen entering the fuselage of the airplane with hand luggage and mounting one of its wings, according to a video clip taken by one of the Port Harcourt-bound passengers.