Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun state and his entourage had a close call with a potential aviation disaster when they boarded a private jet owned by Nigerian billionaire businessman, Chief Adedeji Adeleke, the father of Afrobeat star, Davido. The incident took place on Tuesday, September 5, 2023, at the domestic wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos.

The aircraft in question was a Bombardier Global Express 6000, which caught fire just as it was about to take off from Lagos to Abuja. Governor Adeleke and his team were on board at the time of the incident.

The harrowing situation unfolded as the jet had taxied to the end of the runway in preparation for takeoff when a sudden and loud explosion emanated from one of its engines. This alarming noise prompted an immediate abort of the takeoff.

Thankfully, there were no casualties or injuries reported among the passengers, although the fate of other passengers on the plane at that moment remains unclear.

The cause of the incident was traced to what is known as Foreign Object Damage (FOD), which was triggered by a bird's nest found in one of the jet's engines. Sam Iwuajoku, the CEO of Executive Jets, the company managing the hangar where the private jet was parked, explained that when birds build nests in aircraft engines, they can bring in objects that lead to high temperatures, ultimately resulting in engine damage. He noted that this is not an uncommon issue in Africa due to the presence of birds around.

Despite the gravity of the situation, the incident was not reported to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), as the agency's Air Worthiness Department was reportedly unaware of the occurrence. 

This incident serves as a stark reminder of the safety challenges that can emerge in the aviation sector and underscores the importance of thorough inspections and maintenance to ensure the safety of air travel.