NCAA Probes Nigerian Passenger’s Death on Ethiopian Airlines Flight, Says Michael Achimugu

ByEditor

Jan 29, 2026 #Ethiopian Airlines Abuja US flight incident, #Michael Achimugu statement, #NCAA Ethiopian Airlines investigation, #Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority response, #Nigerian passenger death flight

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The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has confirmed it is actively investigating the death of a Nigerian woman aboard an Ethiopian Airlines flight bound for the United States, the regulator’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu, said in response to a video appeal by the bereaved family.

Achimugu told followers on the social media platform, X, that the NCAA is fully aware of the case and has been in regular contact with both the family of the deceased and the airline involved.

He emphasised that the authority remains committed to ensuring that “full closure is achieved” for the family, as it awaits additional documentation to support the ongoing inquiry.

“We speak with the family almost daily, and we already spoke with them today,” Achimugu said, underlining the regulator’s engagement with relatives following the tragedy.

According to his statement, the airline has already submitted its own report to the NCAA, and the family has been asked to provide further information.

The appeal from the family accompanied a widely circulated video showing relatives urging Nigerians and aviation authorities to help amplify their message until it reaches the appropriate authorities.

The family described the deceased as healthy before boarding the Ethiopian Airlines flight from Abuja to the United States on January 19, and said they had received little information from the airline about the cause of her death.

While the exact circumstances of the woman’s death remain unclear, the NCAA’s involvement underscores its role in consumer protection and aviation safety oversight in Nigeria.

Ethiopian Airlines has not yet issued a public statement on the matter.