Honestly, I dont think Yaradua is aware of this. You know, this security guys do alot of things to please every leader in power. But if Yaradua is aware, then, we have wasted all the ballot papers and all the effort we spent in rigging him (sorry, voting him) into office

And what would have happened if the pilot landed the aircraft?
Whatever happened to emergency landing?

Does the pilot not have the prerogative to steer the plane to safety as permitted by their code?

Sorry folks, I am confused about something. Dont we have a wing called Presidential wing at the airport? What exactly is the purpose of this wing? I thought it includes avoiding situations like this. The presidential entourage has an entire wing and a whole aircraft to themselves and somehow it isnt enough? I am lost ooooo

@ Jakumo: Ur sooooooooo funny

we are in trouble :-x

There are so many unanswered questions regarding this story

1. As  a comercial flight, the pilot would have filed a flight plan, the fligh plan would have included an alternate destination if for some reason he or she could not land at the original destination. Why was this not done or maybe they do not do proper fligh planning ?

2. As part of the preparation for the flight the pilot / flight crew should have received information regading the airspace they intended to fly through  such information would include weather reports / forecasts, as well as any flying activity they need to steer clear of  i.e. air space restrictions e.t.c however it appears this information was not available in the first place because if they had known they would have either  delayed the flight or filed a completely new flight plan which would take them away from the restricted airspace/airport.

3. May be the pilot opted to circle for 3 hours till he/she received clearance from ATC, it is not uncommon for this to happen.  As long as there is sufficient fuel on board and the captian is OK with ATC instructions   this does not pose a problem however the captain would still have to monitor fuel consumption  and make a decision call as to when to abandon circling and head for an alternate airport while there is sufficient fuel to reach the alternate airport.

4. Or maybe the pilot got lost  for 3 hours and had to fly  lower so he/she could find visual  cues to indicate where they were ?    ( I am only joking)

abnormality is normal in Nigeria.

First the president shouldn't be flying from a commercial airfield, they should have an Air Force (Military base) from which he should fly from due to security protocols. Three hours in the air is plain ridiculous and also I blame the pilot for staying three hours in the air, what a stupid idea. A wise pilot after being confirmed they had security protocols should have landed at another airfield in that same Abuja or some place close, unless if they don't have one, and when all is said and done, he would head back to his initial destination. That would save fuel, time, aircraft and engine stress and many other things. Lack of proper communication and poor planning procedures is the cause of all this.

As much as I blame them for the security protocols and poor communication to ATC and Airport management, the pilots should have utilized sound judgement to solving the problem; apologize to passengers on board and return back to Lagos as its last resort rather than staying 3hrs in the air.

This is total insanity.
So what would have been the explanation if the fuel in the aircraft finished while been suspended in the air?
Power is like a drunken wine sha.

9ja, i hail thee.

We must not discount the possibility that there was in fact NO presidential bowel movement on that day, and that in truth the pilot had been ordered to fly for 3 hours by his bosses back at the dispatch office, so that some trial repair work performed by panel-beaters to the aircraft's fuselage and outboard ailerons could be adequately flight tested to ascertain reliability for another few days of commercial use.