A brand-new Embraer E2 aircraft operated by Air Peace Airlines was severely damaged on the tarmac Friday, December 26, 2025, sparking suspicions of sabotage and throwing nine scheduled flights into chaos.
Passengers had already boarded the fully booked jet, set to operate nonstop until January 15, 2026, when a ground handler’s conveyor belt slammed into the engine cover, NCAA confirmed.
Today's aircraft was one of the brand new E2's, and it was fully booked until January 15th, 2026. Now, all innocent passengers booked for its operations will experience one delay or cancellation.
“Travelers were swiftly deboarded amid the disruption, thus facing delays or outright cancellations with no immediate standby options available,” said the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) spokesperson, Michael Achimugu.
“This is a colossal damage that will impact negatively on Air Peace’s ability to serve its customers and could wipe off the proceeds of the entire December,” observers also stated in a pointed reaction.
Although Achimugu alleged poorly trained ground staff were to blame, a concerned observer noted, “We can’t rule out sabotage in this instance.”
The incident echoes a recent bird strike that cost Air Peace over $3 million in repairs, delaying service for a full month while waiting for a replacement engine cowling from the manufacturer.
Achimugu highlighted the airline’s plight: despite deploying its two standby aircraft elsewhere for similar crises, those planes in any case, have fewer seats than the damaged E2, thus limiting recovery efforts.
Achimugu said further: “Airlines should not be held responsible for situations like this, and passengers should be informed, most honestly, about the reasons for disruptions caused by these unfortunate scenarios.
“I do hope that there is enough insurance to cover the cost of losses like this one.
“In advance, I call for the understanding of passengers who were scheduled to fly this aircraft.”
He went on to educate that Airlines like Air Peace often absorb the fallout silently, announcing “technical/operational reasons” to avoid pointing fingers. This, according to him, shields them from passenger backlash, refunds, and compensation demands under Part 19 of the NCAA Regulations 2023, even when the fault lies elsewhere.
Calling for reform, he urged “naming and shaming” inefficient ground handlers, whose errors inflict reputational, financial, and operational harm. “Airlines should not be held responsible for situations like this, and passengers should be informed most honestly,” he said, vowing tougher regulations and sanctions for service providers.
Achimugu, like other well meaning individuals, empathized with Air Peace and domestic carriers, praising their resilience amid forex improvements under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He appealed for passenger understanding, stressing insurance coverage and industry transparency to dispel perceptions of secrecy.
Air Peace has yet to issue an official statement, but the episode underscores Nigeria’s aviation sector vulnerabilities amid rapid growth.
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