An Air Peace flight bound for Lagos from Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja was forced to make an emergency stop just before takeoff early Thursday morning. The situation caused panic among passengers, many of whom took to social media to share their concerns.

The incident, which occurred during taxiing, caused the plane to halt abruptly, leading to immediate distress. Prominent human rights lawyer Inihebe Effiong, a passenger on the flight, shared the experience on his X (formerly Twitter) account, stating that the flight, scheduled for 6:30 AM, was “forcefully” halted during taxiing. According to Effiong, the sudden stop startled passengers, with some reportedly screaming in fear.

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The captain later attributed the disruption to a bird strike, raising questions about the bird detection system at the airport. Effiong expressed relief that the issue occurred on the ground, stating that it could have been far more dangerous if it had happened mid-flight. He also questioned whether the airport’s bird strike radar system was functioning properly.

A second passenger, who chose to remain anonymous, echoed the events but expressed skepticism about the bird strike explanation, suggesting that the problem might have been unrelated to birds.

In response, Air Peace confirmed the incident in an official statement, confirming that the aircraft had indeed been halted before takeoff due to the suspected bird strike. The airline’s Head of Corporate Communications, Ejike Ndiulo, expressed regret for the inconvenience caused to affected passengers and others experiencing delays. Passengers were later deboarded and either awaited repairs or a replacement aircraft to continue their journeys.