The Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, has directed the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to suspend Dana Air, a day after one of the airline’s planes skidded off the Murtala Muhammed Airport runway in Lagos.

Keyamo also mandated a comprehensive audit of the airline, covering safety protocols, maintenance procedures, and financial health, to ensure compliance with aviation regulations.

In a letter to the NCAA Director-General titled ‘Immediate Suspension of Dana Air Pending Safety and Financial Health Audit’, the minister emphasized the necessity of ensuring safety and regulatory compliance.

“The recent incidents involving Dana Airline have raised serious concerns regarding both safety and financial viability,” the letter stated, signed by the Permanent Secretary to the Minister, Dr. Emmanuel Meribole.

The minister stressed the urgency of the matter and urged swift and decisive action to safeguard the interests of all stakeholders.

The incident on Tuesday led the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to temporarily shut down the runway at Murtala Mohammed Airport. However, it was reopened on Wednesday morning after the aircraft was evacuated.

FAAN’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Obiageli Orah, confirmed that the runway was safe for operations after thorough inspections and cleaning operations.

Dana Air, in a statement, assured that all passengers were safely disembarked with no injuries, and the aircraft was grounded pending further investigation.