A mid-air incident on an Air Peace flight from London to Lagos led to the detention of three passengers – Adedigba Adewale, Ashibogu Magnus, and Iwonze Benjamin – upon arrival at Murtala Muhammed International Airport on Wednesday.
The passengers were accused of disorderly conduct during the flight.
According to a statement released on Thursday by Air Peace spokesperson, Dr. Ejike Ndiulo, the flight captain briefly left the cockpit to assess the situation but quickly returned as a precautionary measure.
Ndiulo said 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.
They were also seen openly drinking alcohol they had unlawfully brought into the flight to further worsen the disturbance.
Persecondnews gathered that the flight crew alerted Nigerian security agencies ahead of landing, ensuring law enforcement officials were ready to apprehend the unruly passengers on arrival.
He said: “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.”
The spokesperson reiterated the airline’s zero-tolerance policy towards disruptive behaviour, reassuring the public that they remain committed to maintaining the highest standards of security and order on all flights.
Ndiulo commended the flight crew for their professional handling of the situation, praising their exemplary response to the disruption.
Efforts to reach Igbafe Afegbai, Director of Aviation Security, for comment on the incident were unsuccessful.
Persecondnews recalls that a similar incident occurred on January 8, 2025, in which an unruly female passenger disrupted an Ibom Air flight from Uyo to Abuja, originally scheduled to depart at 17:30 hrs, affecting 89 other travelers.
The airline refused to carry the passenger’s overweight luggage on the same flight, citing its earlier announcement that luggage exceeding 20kg would be transported on the next available flight.
Upon discovering that her luggage had not been loaded onto the plane, the irate passenger stormed off the aircraft in protest.
The passenger requested permission to retrieve her handbag from the cabin, but instead, she obstructed the aisle, refusing to let the flight depart until her luggage was loaded.
NCAA reported that the unruly passenger has faced court charges and been released on bail.
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