The flight, which had the Governor of Cross River State, Senator Liyel Imoke, could not land at the Margret Ekpo Airport in Calabar because of visibility problems.
Speaking with journalists on the incident, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN)Station Manager in Abuja, Mr. Chris Bature, confirmed the unfortunate incident, but said FAAN had appealed to airline to provide accommodation for the passengers in Abuja.
Bature, who spoke on phone with journalistslast night, said the passengers were aggrieved because the flight was delayed for over four hours in Abuja before taking off to Calabar.
On why the plane could land in Calabar, he added that there was lighting problem in Calabar, leading to visibility lack visibility at the airport.
He said: “As we speak, the passengers are right by the airline as they refuse, to leave the airport pending adequate arrangement for accommodation and a reschedule for them tomorrow.
“The problem was that the plane could not land in Calabar because of poor visibility as they operate from sunrise to sunset.”
Another senior official who spoke on condition anonymity, blamed the passengers for their behaviour at the airport.
He said: “The reason for the return to Abuja was for the safety of the passengers.”
