Adeleke, aides escape air crash, as gov suspects foil play

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Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State and his top aides escaped air crash that would have been a national calamity on Tuesday, September 5, 2023 when a private jet owned by his brother billionaire businessman, Chief Adedeji Adeleke, caught fire at take-off point at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos. The governor suspects foil play.

Chief Adeleke, father of Afrobeat musician, David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, is also the brother of Osun State governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke.

Chief Adeleke is the owner of the Bombadier Global Express 6000 involved in the incident. The jet is used as a family plane by the Adelekes.

The incident occurred at the domestic wing of the Airport at about 9am on the fateful day when the jet was about to take off from Lagos to Abuja.

Although when it occurred, it was said that it was not communicated to the concerned Aviation regulatory authorities.

Reports indicated that the jet, with Osun State governor, Ademola Adeleke, on board and his top aides at the time of the incident, had taxied to the end of the runway, shortly before departure, when a loud explosion was heard from the engine of the jet, causing it to abort take-off immediately.

“No deaths or injuries were reported, and other passengers in the plane as of the time of the incident could not be ascertained,” a source said.

The jet had been parked at the Executive Jet hanger of the Airport before it was deployed on September 5.

However, all parties including the Airport authorities, the Osun State government and the owners of the private hanger tried to ensure that the news of the incident did not filter to the public.

The chief executive officer (CEO), Executive Jets, owners of the hangar where the private jet was parked, Sam Iwuajoku, disclosed that the Chief Adeleke’s private jet had Foreign Object Damage (FOD) that made the aircraft experience high temperature, which resulted into the explosion.

According to him, the FOD was caused by a bird nest in one of the engines of the jet.

“At take-off, the engine had high temperature and it was caused by bird nest in one of the engines of the aircraft. It happened when an aircraft is parked and not properly covered so, birds will build their nest and anything they bring into the aircraft can spark high temperature.

“It happened to one of my aircraft in 2021, we had to remove the engine and the engine was in Germany for 14 months. So, it’s a common thing in Africa because we have birds around,” he stated.

Sources said renowned musician, Davido, had used the plane the previous day, September 4.