Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to aviation safety, declaring that safety remains the top priority in the operations of the state-owned carrier, Enugu Air, following Thursday’s runway incident at Benin Airport.

In a statement personally signed on Friday, the governor welcomed the swift response of the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), which has launched an investigation into the incident. He assured that the state government and Enugu Air would cooperate fully with investigators and other aviation regulators.

Mbah also expressed sympathy to the passengers and crew members who were on board the aircraft during the incident.

He said: “The Enugu State Government is aware of the runway excursion incident involving Enugu Air Embraer E170, Flight 4264, operating from Lagos to Benin on Thursday, July 23, 2026.

“The government empathises with the 63 passengers and five crew members on board the aircraft over the traumatic experience and is thankful to God that no life was lost and no injuries have so far been reported.

“The government commends the swiftness of the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) in commencing the ongoing investigation to determine the circumstances and factors that may have led to the incident. The government will ensure the full cooperation of its airline, Enugu Air, with the investigation and regulatory authorities.

“While awaiting the outcome of the investigation, the government assures the public that the operations of Enugu Air are guided by the highest safety standards. The airline is founded on a corporate culture that places safety above profit and schedules, and its quality assurance and quality control systems stipulate a safety threshold considerably higher than the industry benchmark.

“This accounts for the growing confidence and patronage the airline continues to enjoy from both passengers and industry stakeholders. Enugu Air will therefore continue to serve its teeming customers while upholding its commitment to safety, professionalism and hospitality.”

The governor also appreciated Nigerians for the widespread support shown to the airline following the incident, noting that many passengers had continued to share encouraging feedback about Enugu Air since its launch.

“The Enugu State Government wishes to express its profound gratitude to Nigerians for the outpouring of solidarity since the unfortunate incident. Quite uncommonly, Nigerians have continued to share their positive experiences with Enugu Air since it was launched a year ago. This matters so much to us as a government at this time,” he said.

The NSIB had earlier confirmed that it had begun investigating the runway excursion involving Enugu Air Flight 4264, an Embraer E170 aircraft with registration 5N-ENR, which departed Lagos for Benin.

According to the bureau, the aircraft overshot the end of Runway 05 while landing at Benin Airport at about 3:10 p.m. on Thursday.

The aircraft was carrying 63 passengers and five crew members. The NSIB confirmed that everyone on board was safely accounted for and that no injuries were recorded.