The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) have condemned the behaviour of former Edo State governor and current senator, Adams Oshiomhole, during a recent incident at Lagos’ Murtala Muhammed Airport, calling it “unacceptable” and symptomatic of a wider rise in unruly passenger conduct.
The incident, which took place last Wednesday, involved Oshiomhole and Air Peace, Nigeria’s largest domestic airline. The senator was seen in widely shared videos confronting airline staff after allegedly missing a flight. While Oshiomhole accused Air Peace of arbitrary policy changes and extortion, the airline has denied the claims, calling them “deliberate falsehood.”
Speaking at a press briefing in Lagos, AON spokesperson Professor Obiora Okonkwo expressed disappointment over what he described as a growing trend of passengers taking matters into their own hands rather than following due process.
“No amount of disappointment gives the right to self-help,” Okonkwo said. “What we saw was a clear case of unruly behaviour. It’s not acceptable.”
He said that Air Peace, which carries nearly half of Nigeria’s domestic air passengers, should not be demonised.
“It is somebody’s investment. No airline wants to delay or inconvenience passengers. What Oshiomhole did was far from constructive,” he added.
Okonkwo also criticised the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) for remaining silent two days after the altercation, saying the agency has a duty to provide clarity on what happened.
This follows after the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, in his post on X ( formerly Twitter) on Friday, said he had directed relevant aviation agencies to investigate the matter thoroughly and to avoid rushing to conclusions.
“In line with the principle of fair hearing, all sides must be listened to,” he wrote. “This issue should be handled in a way that sets a clear precedent for how similar incidents are dealt with in the future.”