Three passengers, identified as Adedigba Adewale, Ashibogu Magnus, and Iwonze Benjamin, were arrested on Wednesday at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, for allegedly causing a disturbance aboard an Air Peace flight from London.
The incident reportedly began when two of the passengers, despite holding economy tickets, attempted to occupy business class seats. When crew members intervened, the passengers refused to comply and forcefully entered the section.
According to witnesses, the situation escalated as the individuals threatened to cause chaos, creating panic among other travellers. They were also seen consuming alcohol they had unlawfully brought on board.
Air Peace spokesperson, Dr. Ejike Ndiulo, confirmed that the flight captain briefly left the cockpit to assess the situation before the crew alerted Nigerian security agencies. Upon landing, law enforcement officials were on standby to arrest the passengers for further investigation.
“To the glory of God, none of our crew members sustained any injuries, as it was only a verbal altercation. At Air Peace, our commitment to passenger safety and global aviation standards remains unwavering,” Ndiulo stated.
He reiterated that disruptive behaviour would not be tolerated and commended the flight crew for handling the situation professionally.
Efforts to reach the Director of Aviation Security, Igbafe Afegbai, for comments were unsuccessful.