The runway at Benin Airport, Edo State, has been reopened for flight operations, 12 days after an Enugu Air aircraft veered off the runway shortly after landing, disrupting services at the airport.
The reopening was announced on Tuesday by ValueJet, which said its flights to and from Benin would resume on Wednesday, 5 August.
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“We’re pleased to announce that the Benin runway has reopened, and ValueJet flights resume from Wednesday, 5th August 2026,” the airline said in a notice to passengers.
In a separate telephone interview with PREMIUM TIMES Tuesday evening, an official of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) who sought anonymity because they were not authorised to speak to the media, confirmed the reopening.
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The runway had been closed following the 23 July incident to allow for the recovery of the affected aircraft and safety assessments.
Background
PREMIUM TIMES reported that an Enugu Air Embraer E170 operating Flight 4264 from Lagos to Benin veered off the runway after landing at Benin Airport on 23 July.
There were 63 passengers and five crew members on board the aircraft. All passengers and crew members safely disembarked, with no injuries or fatalities recorded.
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Enugu Air initially described the occurrence as a runway incursion. However, the incident involved the aircraft leaving the runway after landing, which is classified in aviation as a runway excursion.
A runway excursion occurs when an aircraft unintentionally leaves the designated runway surface during take-off or landing.
The aircraft was secured after the incident and the relevant aviation authorities were notified.
The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) subsequently deployed its Go Team to Benin Airport to begin an independent investigation into the occurrence.
The bureau said investigators would preserve evidence, examine the aircraft, assess runway conditions, interview the flight crew and other relevant personnel, and review operational and technical records to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The Director-General of the NSIB, Alex Badeh Jr., said the absence of injuries did not diminish the seriousness of the occurrence.
He urged the public to avoid speculation while investigators carried out their work in line with international aviation standards.
The Chief Executive Officer and Accountable Manager of Enugu Air, Tolu Ita, later said the aircraft experienced the runway excursion after hydroplaning during landing.
She stressed that the occurrence was neither a crash nor an emergency landing, but a serious aviation occurrence.
Hydroplaning occurs when water forms a layer between an aircraft’s tyres and the runway surface, reducing traction and potentially affecting braking and directional control.
However, Ms Ita’s account does not by itself establish the cause of the occurrence, which remains subject to the ongoing investigation.
READ ALSO: FAAN says smoke, not fire, caused emergency at Lagos airport
Flight disruption
Following the occurrence, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) closed the runway to facilitate emergency response operations, aircraft recovery and safety assessments.
The closure disrupted scheduled flights at the airport, with Air Peace and United Nigeria Airlines among the carriers that suspended services to and from Benin.
PREMIUM TIMES reported that both airlines cited the runway closure in announcing cancellations and adjustments to their operations.
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