Barely days after an altercation at Abuja’s Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport involving veteran Fuji musician Wasiu Ayinde, fresh drama erupted at Lagos’ Murtala Muhammed Airport.
Videos circulating on X showed an irate female passenger on an Ibom Air flight physically assaulting a flight attendant and later clashing with airport security officers.
The incident occurred on Sunday during a Uyo-to-Lagos trip. In one clip filmed inside the aircraft, the passenger — visibly agitated and putting back on a missing wig — jabbed a flight attendant’s head with her finger, shouting, “What did you do?”
“She is hitting me,” the attendant calmly replied.
Another video showed the woman, now off the plane, yelling at airport security personnel, swatting away cameras, and lunging at people trying to restrain her. Her shirt appeared torn, and witnesses claimed she had earlier slapped a crew member.
Security officials eventually overpowered her and escorted her into a waiting airport bus.
Cause of the Outburst
The exact cause of her behaviour remains unclear. However, Michael Achimugu, Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), linked the incident to the passenger’s refusal to follow standard in-flight protocols.
“When cabin crew ask you to turn off your phone before takeoff or landing, simply comply. I can’t understand why simple routine instructions lead to incidents like this,” he wrote on X, stressing that passengers have responsibilities as well as rights.
Achimugu added that the NCAA would address the matter on Monday as more information emerges.
Related Incidents
The drama comes shortly after the NCAA suspended two ValueJet pilots over a safety breach tied to Wasiu Ayinde’s disorderly conduct at Abuja’s airport on August 5. The aviation regulator has also placed an indefinite travel ban on the musician, replacing an earlier six-month ban, pending the outcome of investigations.
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