An Air Peace flight heading to Lagos was unexpectedly grounded on Thursday morning due to a bird strike at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.

The flight was set to depart at 6:30 a.m. and was already on the runway, ready for takeoff when the incident occurred.

Inibehe Effiong, a Lagos-based human rights lawyer who was on board, shared his experience on social media.

He said, “While taxing on the runway and just before takeoff, our Air Peace flight from Abuja to Lagos scheduled for 6:30 AM today was stopped forcefully, resulting in panic and screams by some passengers.

“The captain attributed the incident to a bird strike. We have been deboarded to await either a replacement or repair of the aircraft.

“Thankfully, whatever happened did not occur after takeoff. It would have been scarier.”

However, in a swift response, Air Peace promptly replaced the malfunctioning aircraft, allowing passengers to reboard within 30 minutes.

The lawyer raised concerns regarding the effectiveness of bird control measures at the airport.

Other passengers also shared their experiences on social media.