Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr. Peter Obi, and more than 100 other passengers narrowly escaped what could have been a tragic plane crash at the local wing of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos on Tuesday, June 3.
Obi, who contested in the 2023 presidential elections, was aboard Air Peace flight P47123 from Abuja to Lagos. The flight, originally scheduled to take off by 12:35 p.m., departed the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport by 12:59 p.m. and was expected to land by 1:55 p.m. Instead, it touched down at 2:25 p.m., with nearly 30 minutes of tension-filled delay mid-air.
Multiple passengers reported that for about 30 minutes, the aircraft hovered above Lagos as the pilot struggled to regain control and find a safe landing path. Several attempts to land were unsuccessful, causing panic, confusion, and prayers among the frightened passengers.
“It was a nasty experience,” said one passenger who declined to be named. “The plane made several attempts to land but kept pulling back. People were praying loudly. Some were crying. It felt like we were going to crash on rooftops.”
Another passenger, a mother of two, shared how she nearly gave up hope. “It was terrifying. The plane was just floating. We didn’t know if we were going to live or die.”
Despite the panic, witnesses say Peter Obi remained calm and composed throughout the ordeal. According to several passengers, Obi encouraged those around him to stay calm and trust in God.
“He kept reassuring us that we would be fine,” said a man who sat near Obi in the economy section. “His calmness gave many people hope.”
In the first-class cabin, a businessman and Christian cleric, Dr. Benson Onuwaje, reportedly stood up to lead passengers in prayer.
“Dr. Onuwaje prayed loudly and assured us God would not allow a crash,” said another passenger, Mathew Adekunle. “Truly, God answered our prayers.”
Sources in the aviation sector confirmed the incident but said an official report from Air Peace or the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) was still being awaited.
Obi had been in northern Nigeria for community visits and had recently donated N20 million to flood victims in Niger State. He returned to Abuja before boarding the Lagos-bound flight for another political meeting.
“If anything had happened, it would have been a huge national tragedy,” said one passenger. “We thank God for saving us and Peter Obi.”
As of press time, Air Peace had not made a formal comment on the incident. The airline is one of Nigeria’s largest private carriers and often operates high-volume domestic routes like Abuja to Lagos.
The incident has once again raised concerns about aviation safety in Nigeria. Though the country has seen improvements in recent years, cases of mid-air scares and delayed emergency responses remain a concern among travellers.
Passengers are now calling on aviation authorities to investigate the incident and ensure safety measures are reinforced.
“Things like this should not be happening,” another passenger said. “The government must act before we lose innocent lives.”