An Air Peace Nigeria Limited flight operating from Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial capital, to Port Harcourt, the capital of Rivers State in southern Nigeria, was disrupted on Thursday, 22 January 2026, after the aircraft experienced a bird strike while arriving at the Port Harcourt International Airport.
Okay News reports that the airline said the incident led to additional safety checks on the affected aircraft and required it to deploy another aircraft to move passengers on later flights scheduled on the same route.
In a statement signed by Air Peace Nigeria Limited spokesperson, Osifo-Whiskey Efe, the carrier said it regretted the inconvenience caused by what it described as an unexpected occurrence.
“We deeply empathise with passengers affected by this unforeseen incident and are working diligently to minimise disruptions,” Efe said.
The development has again drawn attention to bird strikes, which local airlines in Nigeria have repeatedly flagged as a safety and operational issue capable of delaying schedules and grounding aircraft for extended periods.
In December 2025, Air Peace Nigeria Limited disclosed that it recorded 49 bird strikes across Nigeria between January 2025 and September 2025, warning that a single strike can keep an aircraft out of service for weeks due to repairs and inspections.
Speaking previously on Arise Television, a Nigerian news channel, Air Peace Nigeria Limited Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Allen Onyema, said bird strikes remained a major challenge for flight operations, with airlines often forced into costly fixes and disruptions.
“One bird strike could cripple your aircraft for the next month. At that moment, there is no two ways about it. These bird strikes often lead to costly delays and serious disruptions in flight schedules,” Onyema said.
He added that the financial burden from bird strike incidents adds to other pressures on Nigerian airlines, including heavy taxation and operating constraints that can further strain flight schedules and service delivery.
