Three passengers, Adedigba Adewale, Ashibogu Magnus, and Iwonze Benjamin, were arrested on Wednesday at Lagos’ Murtala Muhammed International Airport for allegedly engaging in unruly behavior aboard an Air Peace flight from London to Lagos.
The incident began when two passengers, despite holding economy tickets, attempted to sit in business class.
Crew members’ attempts to resolve the problem quietly were futile, as the passengers forced their way into the area without permission.
According to one witness, the incident worsened when the passengers threatened to cause mayhem, causing stress among the other passengers. aa
They were also observed openly drinking alcohol that they had illegally brought onboard the flight, which exacerbated the disturbance.
On Thursday, Air Peace spokeswoman Dr. Ejike Ndiulo told reporters that the aircraft captain momentarily exited the cockpit to examine the situation before returning as a precaution.
The flight crew informed Nigerian security agencies ahead of landing, ensuring law enforcement officials were ready to apprehend the disruptive passengers upon arrival.
“Recognizing 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 emphasized that “any form of disruptive behavior 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.
However, the spokesperson thanked the crew members for their professionalism in handling the incident.
Attempts to speak with the Director of Aviation Security, Igbafe Afegbai, on the development were futile at the time of filing this report.
