Lagos airport police to arrest two for smoking on board an aircraft from South Africa

The Nigeria Police Force, Airport Police Command, is set to arraign two suspects, Enaruna Prince Aghama (51) and Tony Ajayi (43), for acts of unruly conduct and behaviour likely to cause a breach of peace. 

A statement from the airport command’s spokesperson, ASP Mohammed Adeola, said the suspects were handed over to the International Airport Police Division by Aviation Security (AVSEC) personnel upon the aircraft’s arrival at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos, for further investigation.

Adeola said preliminary investigation revealed that at about 7.44pm on July 9, while aboard an Air Peace flight from South Africa to Lagos, the suspects lit and smoked cigarettes inside the aircraft, an action which activated the aircraft’s smoke detection and emergency alarm system, causing panic and anxiety among passengers and cabin crew. He said further inquiries disclosed that the suspects were also in possession of an alcoholic beverage and became uncooperative and verbally aggressive when cabin crew members attempted to de-escalate the situation and enforce established safety regulations, thereby further disrupting the orderly conduct of the flight.

The Commissioner of Police, Airport Command, CP Ogunbode Olufunke, condemned the conduct of the suspects, describing any act capable of compromising aviation safety or disrupting the orderly operation of an aircraft as unacceptable. She reiterated that the Airport Police Command remains committed to the strict enforcement of aviation security laws and the protection of the lives of passengers, crew members, and all airport users, in line with the provisions of the relevant aviation regulations and the FAAN By-Laws.

CP Olufunke further urged members of the travelling public to comply with all lawful directives issued by airline operators and aviation personnel, emphasizing that maintaining discipline and orderly conduct aboard aircraft is a shared responsibility essential to safe air travel. The suspects will be arraigned before a court of competent jurisdiction upon the conclusion of the investigation.