The President of Karate Federation of Nigeria (KFN), Engineer Chukwudi Elekwachi Dimkpa has added a spiritual angle to Nigeria’s pursuit of medals at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, as the recently confirmed top shot prayed for God’s protection over the country’s athletes.

Sports247 reports that, while acknowledging that Team Nigeria had solid preparations heading into the Games and the contingent is saturated with immense talents, Dimkpa reasoned that they still need the hand of God and His guidance during their various events at Glasgow 2026.

Read Also: Glasgow 2026 Begins! Team Nigeria’s Medal Chase Starts Friday as Boxers, Para Powerlifters and 3×3 Basketball Stars Take Centre Stage

Dimkpa also commended director-general of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Honouurable Bukola Olopade, for his commitment to the welfare of Nigeria’s athletes and praised the officials for working tirelessly to ensure the team got all necessary technical, medical and logistical support.

The KFN president added that, though karate is not featuring at the Glasgow Games, the federation stands firmly behind Team Nigeria and fully supports the country’s representatives, who he believes will return home with many medals that would inspire the next generation of athletes.
He asserted, “I have no doubt that our athletes possess the talent, discipline, determination and resilient Nigerian spirit of ‘never say never’ to win gold medals and secure several podium finishes for our country. My prayers are with every athlete and official for God’s protection throughout the Games.”

An Enugu Air aircraft on Thursday suffered a runway excursion after landing at Benin Airport, with all 63 passengers and five crew members safely evacuated and no injuries or fatalities recorded.

The airline confirmed the incident in a public notice, saying the aircraft had been secured while the relevant aviation authorities had been notified in line with established procedures.

“Enugu Air wishes to inform the public that one of our aircraft operating into Benin experienced a runway incursion after landing today,” the airline said.

It added, however, that all those on board were safe.

“We confirm that all passengers and crew have safely disembarked and there were no injuries or casualties.”

Although the airline described the occurrence as a runway incursion in its statement, the incident involved the aircraft leaving the runway after landing, which is referred to in aviation as a runway excursion.

A video posted on Thursday evening by the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, on his official X account showed the Embraer 170 aircraft off the runway in a grassy area, with emergency responders at the scene while passengers disembarked. Mr Sowore, who shared the footage, said he hoped no one was injured and urged the authorities to treat aviation safety and regulatory compliance with “the utmost seriousness.”

My heart goes out to everyone involved in the incident involving the @EnuguAirlines aircraft at Benin Airport. I hope no one was injured and that all passengers and crew are safe.
The authorities must treat aviation safety and regulatory compliance with the utmost seriousness.… pic.twitter.com/smjoKGlCnB

— Omoyele Sowore (@sowore) July 23, 2026

The airline said an assessment of the aircraft and the circumstances surrounding the occurrence was underway.

It also warned that the incident could lead to temporary adjustments to some of its scheduled flights.

“As a result, there may be temporary adjustments to some flight schedules. Passengers affected by any changes will be contacted directly and provided with the necessary assistance,” the airline said.

Reassuring passengers, the carrier said safety remains its highest priority.

“The safety of our passengers, crew, and operations remains our highest priority. We appreciate your understanding and will continue to provide updates through our official communication channels,” it added.

The incident is expected to be investigated by the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), while the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) will also carry out its regulatory oversight to determine the circumstances surrounding the occurrence.

A runway excursion occurs when an aircraft unintentionally leaves the runway surface during take-off or landing. It is among the most common categories of aviation occurrences worldwide and may result from several factors, including adverse weather, bad runway conditions, technical faults or operational issues.

The latest occurrence comes as Nigeria’s aviation authorities continue efforts to strengthen safety oversight and improve operational standards across the country’s airports.