Three passengers, identified as Adedigba Adewale, Ashibogu Magnus, and Iwonze Benjamin, were arrested on Wednesday at Lagos’ Murtala Muhammed International Airport for allegedly engaging in unruly behaviour aboard an Air Peace flight from London to Lagos.
The incident reportedly began when two passengers, despite holding economy tickets, attempted to sit in business class.
Efforts by crew members to resolve the issue peacefully were unsuccessful as the passengers forced their way into the section without authorization.
According to a witness, the situation escalated when the passengers threatened to cause chaos, creating tension among other travellers.
They were also seen openly drinking alcohol they had unlawfully brought onto the flight, further worsening the disturbance.
Air Peace spokesperson, Dr Ejike Ndiulo, on Thursday, disclosed to PUNCH Online that the flight captain briefly left the cockpit to assess the situation before returning as a precaution.
The flight crew alerted Nigerian security agencies ahead of landing, ensuring law enforcement officials were ready to apprehend the disruptive passengers upon arrival.
“Recognising the potential threat, the flight crew notified security agencies in Nigeria ahead of arrival. Upon landing, law enforcement officials were on the ground to apprehend the individuals who were taken into custody for further investigations.
“To the glory of God none of our crew members sustained any form of injury, they only engaged in verbal altercation. It is important to note that at Air Peace our commitment to passenger safety and adherence to global aviation standards is second to none,” he stated
The airline publicist further emphasised that “any form of disruptive behaviour will not be tolerated,” assuring the public of the airline’s continuous efforts to uphold the highest levels of security and order on all flights.
The spokesperson, however, thanked the crew members for their professionalism in handling the incident.
Efforts to speak with the Director of Aviation Security, Igbafe Afegbai, on the development were futile as he was unable to pick up his call nor respond to text messages of inquiry.
The PUNCH
