By Emmanuel Daniji

What should have been a routine one-hour, 15-minute flight from Lagos to Kano turned into a terrifying three-and-a-half-hour journey after severe weather prevented the aircraft from landing in Kano.

The domestic flight reportedly encountered heavy rain as it approached Kano, with a passenger, Adegbenga Olusegun, claiming that several runway lights went off, making it difficult for the pilot to land safely.

The pilot subsequently aborted the landing and turned the aircraft back towards Lagos.

But the return journey reportedly brought another frightening experience for the passengers as the aircraft encountered severe turbulence.

Olusegun, who shared his experience online alongside a video showing passengers praying inside the aircraft, said the plane suddenly dropped while experiencing what he described as extremely violent turbulence.

According to him, passengers screamed and began praying as fear swept through the cabin.

He claimed that two passengers fainted during the turbulence, while about three others reportedly lost control of their bladders.

“People screamed and prayed,” Olusegun said in his account of the experience.

The passenger said the flight, which was expected to take about one hour and 15 minutes, eventually lasted roughly three hours and 30 minutes before the aircraft landed safely in Lagos.

The experience left passengers shaken, with what began as an ordinary domestic trip turning into a prolonged battle with bad weather and turbulence.

Olusegun said the incident reminded him of the uncertainty of life and the helplessness passengers can feel when an aircraft is caught in severe weather.

The account and accompanying video have since drawn attention online, with the footage showing passengers turning to prayers as the turbulence intensified.

The passenger’s account, however, does not independently establish the reported condition of the Kano runway lights or the exact cause and severity of the turbulence.