Government May Demolish Building at Benin Airport

The Federal Government is considering the demolition of an uncompleted building that obstructs the control tower's line of sight at Benin Airport, following a runway overrun incident involving Enugu Air in July. The preliminary report from the Nigeria Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) identified this obstruction as a significant safety issue.

The building blocks the controller's view towards the end of Runway 05, particularly at the Runway 23 threshold. The incident involved an Embraer ERJ 170-100LR aircraft, registered as 5N-ENR, which overran Runway 05 after landing during deteriorating weather conditions.

All 68 individuals on board, including five crew members, escaped without injury. The aircraft's autobrake system was inoperative, and the crew had planned to use manual braking for landing.

The NSIB report indicated that weather conditions worsened with moderate rain and reduced visibility, and the air traffic controller had advised the crew about the wet runway conditions prior to landing.