The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority has confirmed legal proceedings against a female passenger who disrupted an Abuja-bound Ibom Air flight after an altercation over her overweight luggage.
The NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu disclosed on Monday that the passenger, described as unruly, was handed over to the police, detained for two nights, and has been charged to court.
Achimugu emphasized that the passenger would face the full extent of the law, stating: “The regulations make it clear that no provocation justifies violence at the airport.
Obstructing the movement of an aircraft, depending on its severity, could even be classified as an act of terrorism, which will be determined by law enforcement.”
He further added: “This individual’s actions disrupted operations and inconvenienced other passengers. Although she has been granted bail, the legal process will proceed to ensure accountability.”
The incident occurred when the airline had informed passengers that luggage exceeding 20kg would be transported on a subsequent flight.
While most passengers complied, the woman reportedly became enraged upon discovering her bag was not loaded onto the aircraft. She disembarked, demanding her luggage be included immediately, and threatened to prevent the flight from departing.
Efforts by airport officials to resolve the situation failed, leading to a significant delay and the eventual cancellation of the flight.
Achimugu acknowledged procedural gaps in handling such incidents, stating: “We are reviewing the protocols with FAAN and Avsec to ensure a faster response to unruly passenger situations. This incident, while unfortunate, could have been mitigated with quicker action.”
The NCAA reiterated its commitment to educating stakeholders about the consequences of disruptive behavior, stressing that such acts undermine public safety and would not be tolerated.
