Air Peace on Monday removed an unruly passenger from an Abuja-bound flight after he engaged in a verbal altercation with the cabin crew and threatened to burn down the aircraft.
The incident occurred on flight P47866 when the passenger, identified as Celestine Ezeudu, ignored safety instructions from the cabin crew to stop taking pictures as the aircraft prepared for take-off. The pilot-in-command was immediately alerted and initiated a ramp return at 15:57 hours to safely offload the passenger.
Confirming the development, the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Michael Achimugu, disclosed that Ezeudu’s travelling companion also voluntarily disembarked from the aircraft in solidarity.
According to Achimugu’s official statement, the situation escalated when the passenger challenged the flight crew.
“The passenger ignored the instructions and when a second member of the crew approached, an altercation broke out and the passenger made a statement: The anger I am feeling can burn down this plane”, Achimugu noted.
Following his removal from the aircraft, Ezeudu was taken to the crime room for questioning. He reportedly claimed his outburst emanated from the frustration of missing an earlier flight, adding that he did not anticipate his behaviour would trigger a ramp return.
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