Passengers stranded as Air France Nigerian-bound flight diverts to Chad

An incident involving an Air France flight heading for Abuja has left 61 Nigerian passengers stranded in Chad, raising fears about their welfare.

Festus Keyamo, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, addressed the issue on social media and directed the Consumer Protection Department of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to interfere.

The passengers, including former House of Representatives member Hon. Johnson Agbonayima, voiced their distress in a video shared by Keyamo, expressing hope for swift action from Nigerian authorities.

According to Keyamo, the flight diverted to Chad after dropping off some passengers en route to Abuja. He urged Air France to clarify the fate of the stranded Nigerians.

In response to the minister’s directive, the NCAA stated that the aircraft encountered technical issues due to weather conditions, leading to the diversion.

Michael Achimugu, Head of Consumer Protection Department of NCAA, assured that the affected passengers had been accommodated in two hotels in Chad, with arrangements underway for their prompt return to Abuja.

This incident follows a similar occurrence involving Turkish Airlines, which left over 300 Nigerian passengers stranded at Lagos’ Murtala Muhammed International Airport. The Nigerian government intervened, facilitating the airlift of the stranded passengers to Istanbul.