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Passenger jet with 30 on board burst in flames

An aircraft belonging to Overland Airlines bound for Ibadan in Nigeria burst into flames at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja, the capital of Nigeria, with more than 30 Passengers including Senator Kamoru Adedibu -- son of late godfather of Ibadan politics, Alhaji Lamidi Adedibu.

Overland Airways is an airline based in Ikeja, Lagos State, Nigeria. It operates domestic services from Lagos and Ibadan. Its main base is Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, with a hub at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

The plane burst into flames shortly before take off leaving passengers escaping for safety on Friday as the plane narrowly averted a crash.

The plane owned by Overland Airlines, was Ibadan-bound and was primed to depart Abuja at 4:52pm when one of its engines began emitting smoke, forcing officials of the airline to hurriedly evacuate the passengers.

Daily Times in Nigeria first broke the news of the near crash on Friday with officials of the airline declining to comment on the issue.

Some passengers disclosed that they noticed the engineers fiddling with the engine of the plane moments before take off before the plane burst into flames forcing everyone to scamper for safety.

Adedibu himself expressed shock at the near-tragedy, but thanked God that it happened pre-take-off rather than mid- air.

He also praised the pilot, the crew and airport officials for their vigilance, without which they would neither have spotted the smouldering engines nor initiated the rescue operation.