Security operatives at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, on Wednesday arrested three unruly passengers aboard an Air Peace flight from London.
The trio were arrested for allegedly engaging in “disruptive behaviour” that endangered the safety of the flight, its passengers and crew.
According to the airline, the incident occurred mid-flight when two of the individuals identified as Adedigba Adewale and Ashibogu Magnus, originally seated in Economy Class, unlawfully and without authorisation, occupied seats in the Business Class cabin and rebuffed multiple entreaties from the crew to return to their assigned seats.
Efforts to de-escalate the situation reportedly failed as the passengers remained defiant, creating a tense atmosphere onboard.
In addition to disregarding crew instructions, the individuals allegedly openly consumed a bottle of rum they had brought onboard.
The third unruly passenger identified as Iwonze Benjamin was said to have joined in the consumption of the rum and also engaged in unruly behaviour.
Their behaviour was said to have raised security and safety concerns among passengers and crew, prompting the captain to leave the cockpit to assess the situation personally before retreating to the cockpit as a precautionary measure.
It was learnt that following their conduct and the potential threat, the flight crew notified security agencies in Nigeria ahead of arrival.
“Upon landing, law enforcement officials were on ground to apprehend the individuals who were taken into custody for further investigations,” the incident report showed.
Air Peace in a statement reiterated its commitment to passenger safety and adherence to global aviation standards.
The airline emphasised that any form of disruptive behaviour will not be tolerated and assured the public of its continuous efforts to uphold the highest levels of security and order on all flights.
It praised its crew for their professionalism in handling this threat to safety in a way that prevented a worse event from occurring, adding that authorities were investigating the incident and appropriate legal action would follow.
