Aero Contractors has disclosed that the unruly passenger who shouted that the President-elect, Bola Tinubu must not be sworn-in onboard an Abuja-Lagos Ibom Air flight last Friday, was refused boarding by officials of its airline when they noticed his unusual behaviour and suspected that he would be a flight risk.
Aero Contractor officials disclosed to THISDAY, that they reported him to the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), and had advised the agencies to stop the passenger from flying any airline because he could be a security risk.
The passenger later boarded Ibom Air 6:00 pm flight from Abuja to Lagos on March 31, 2023, and while in the aircraft started shouting that other passengers should not allow Tinubu to be sworn-in, made the Ibom Air crew uncomfortable, prompting the pilot in command to call security operatives at the airport to remove him from the flight.
However, Aero Contractors internal memo on flight operations identified the passenger as “unruly passenger under the influence with name Mr. Obiajulu Uja with PNR number: 14J1FG.”
The memo seen by THISDAY, explained that the passenger was denied boarding because of his unruly behaviour.
“The report below is about the unruly passenger on the 31st of March 2023 in Abuja. The station denied him check in due to his unruly nature. A report was sent to NCAA and FAAN on this issue,” Aero Contractors, Danjuma Yaro wrote in the memo.
THISDAY contacted NCAA PR department, which denied knowledge of the report and also the head of public relations, FAAN, Mrs. Faithful Hope-Ivbaze, who also told THISDAY that she was unaware that the unruly passenger wanted to board Aero Contractors flight first, adding that FAAN had handed the matter over to the police.
“I am not aware that he wanted to travel with Aero flight but the matter is no more in our hands; it is now with the police. AVSEC (Aviation Security) removed him from the plane and handed him to the police, so we are no more in charge of the case,” she said.
Industry insiders and officials of Aero Contractors were miffed that FAAN and NCAA did not react immediately to the report made by the airline about the unruly passenger and stated that if he were a terrorist he could have carried an action that could jeopardise security of the airport.
A Senior Aero Contractors official who pleaded to remain anonymous, told THISDAY that, “The passenger had Aero ticket. He exhibited a trait which made us conclude he could be a security threat and suspected he could be a terrorist.
“We decided we should not board him and then reported him to NCAA and FAAN. He was at the boarding counter. So I am wondering why an airline should reject a passenger and you allow him to board another airline. Based on his unruly behaviour that day he should have been investigated because he exhibited the trait of a terrorist.
“To me, FAAN and NCAA can do better. Aero detected the trait and rejected the passenger. Terrorist do not give you enough time for bureaucracy. The two agencies should have acted immediately,” he said.
Chinedu Eze
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