Gov Adeleke Escapes Plane Crash, Says There’s Attempt To Kill  Him Through Plane Crash

By Ayodele Oni

Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke has said that there was foul play in the near-plane crash he was involved at the weekend.

The Governor dismissed the claim that birds had built nest in one of the engines, which resulted in Foreign Object Damage (FOD) that made the aircraft experience high temperature, which resulted into an explosion.

The  incident reportedly occured at the domestic wing of the Murtala Mohammed Airport, Lagos, at about 9am when the private jet, owned by the Governor’s elder brother, Deji, was about to take off to Abuja.

The report stated that the jet, with Governor Adeleke and his aides on board, had taxied to the end of the runway shortly before departure when a loud explosion was heard from the engine, causing it to abort take-off immediately.

Before the planned takeoff, the jet had been parked at the Executive Jet hanger of the Airport, the report added.

Sam Iwuajoku, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Executive Jets, owners of the hangar where the private jet was parked, disclosed that Chief Adeleke’s private jet had Foreign Object Damage (FOD) that made the aircraft experience high temperature, which resulted in the explosion.

“At take-off, the engine had high temperature and it was caused by bird nest in one of the engines of the aircraft. It happens when an aircraft is parked and not properly covered, so, birds will build their nest and anything they bring into the aircraft can spark high temperature”.

But, Adeleke, on Sunday maintained that  bird nests “are made with straws not bidding wires.”

A statement by the Governor’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, stated that “There are strong indications that the two aircraft engines were tampered with before boarding.

“The highly technically equipped aircraft was well maintained with the best technical crew and was never an unused platform where birds could build nests.

“Contrary to the claim by the hanger owner that birds’ nests caused the incident, birds’ nests are made with straws not bidding wires as in this case.

“The near-fatal incident was averted shortly after boarding and less than two minutes after commencement of taxing on the tarmac. An early warning noise from the engines immediately prompted the pilots to direct the evacuation of the passengers.

“Everything happened within five minutes. Early reports from internal investigation indicated sabotage. But the authorities, locally and internationally, are still investigating the incident.”

The Governor added that there was no injury or any outward explosion on the plane.

Investigations are on. If confirmed that was sabotage, then, there will be cause for serious worries. The owner of the Hanger will be in serious trouble.

Private Jet owners pay a huge amount of money for the protection of their aircraft. This incident could spark of panic and a lot of questions, including, how safe the hangers are.

Iwuajoku has one of the most luxurious five star hotels in Nigeria – very close to the hanger.