A Qatar Airways aircraft made an emergency landing at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on Friday night after developing a technical fault mid-air.
The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) confirmed in a statement signed by the Permanent Secretary, Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, that the aircraft, which was fully loaded with 248 passengers and 12 crew members, encountered a problem while airborne within Nigerian airspace, triggering distress alerts and an immediate emergency response.
LASEMA said it activated the state’s emergency response plan immediately upon receiving the distress call through its 767/112 toll-free emergency lines.
The statement read, “Following distress alerts received at the Command and Control Centre in Alausa, Ikeja, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency promptly activated the State’s Emergency Response Plans.
“Preliminary investigations revealed that the immediate cause of the incident was technical issues suffered by the distressed aircraft.”
The agency, however, commended the pilot for his professionalism, successfully bringing the aircraft down safely while emergency teams stood by on extreme high alert.
LASEMA said, “After landing, the aircraft was thoroughly checked by the pilot and engineering crew before being moved to the apron for detailed inspection and necessary repairs. All passengers were safely evacuated, with no injuries recorded.
“The pilot executed a safe landing on the runway at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport with LASEMA response teams and other emergency responders on standby.
“All passengers of the distressed aircraft were evacuated safely, and no casualties were reported.”
The agency further said that despite the frightening incident, there was no significant damage to the aircraft, and it has since been secured, and recovery operations concluded.
The statement added, “The aircraft has been secured on the apron, recovery activities have been completed, and the rescue operation has been safely concluded.”
Eyewitnesses at the airport who spoke to Punch described tense moments as emergency responders lined the runway, while passengers on board braced for an unexpected landing.
In December 2025, a Flybird private jet made an emergency landing at Malam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) on Sunday morning, around 9:30 a.m.
According to the report, the aircraft, carrying 11 passengers, including three crew members, was en route from Abuja when it crash-landed. Fortunately, all passengers were safely evacuated, according to an eyewitness.
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