Victor Ezeja
Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) has condemned the actions of a former governor of Edo State, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos on Wednesday.
AON said Oshiomhole’s action while attempting to board Air Peace flight from Lagos to Abuja on Wednesday is unruly, unacceptable and violates aviation regulations.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelAir Peace had issued a statement on Wednesday, saying that the prominent politician resorted to violence and disrupted its flight operations after he missed flight.
It said Oshiomhole arrived at Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal 1 (Zulu Hall) at approximately 06:10 AM for Flight P47120 scheduled to depart Lagos for Abuja at 06:30 AM, but in line with the airline’s standard on-time departure policy, the boarding process had closed, and the flight departed as scheduled.
However, Oshiomhole, who represents Edo North Senatorial district in the National Assembly denied disrupting the operations of the airline.
He accused the airline of extorting passengers, claiming that he acted to assert his rights and that of other passengers who had earlier checked-in online, but were allegedly denied boarding.
Reacting to that, the Airline Operators of Nigeria in a statement by its spokesperson, Obiora Okonkwo, said Oshiomhole’s action violated civil aviation regulations.
It said the lawmaker’s action was unruly and in total breach of airport security.
“As much as we understand and appreciate the fact that every passenger has a right, it is only limited to what is allowed by ICAO and the aviation industry. There is no amount of disappointment, if at all, from any airline that should lead you to self-help. What happened is a typical example of unruly behaviour. That is not acceptable, Air Peace is a respectable airline, they carry 40-50 per cent of all the domestic passengers, and they deserve respect,” Okonkwo , the founder of the United Nigeria Airlines stated.
AON spokesperson called on the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to clarify the incident in its proper context.
He also urged FAAN to provide video evidence and a timeline of events from its surveillance systems.
“We are disappointed that FAAN has not released their side of the story. This is not just about Air Peace—it could happen to any operator. It’s about aviation safety, security, and order,” Okonkwo said.
While highlighting challenges faced by Nigerian airlines in trying to satisfy passengers, the AON spokesperson said that such a disruption is not sustainable and “could have escalated and endangered lives.”
He clarified that online check-in does not exempt passengers from physical reporting, luggage inspection, and final manifest documentation.
“If your flight is at 6:30 a.m., the aircraft should be airborne by that time—not start boarding,” Okonwko explained.
According to him, “Manifest data must be submitted 45 minutes before departure. Passengers arriving at 6:30 are late and have missed their flight.”
He maintained that Air Peace followed the standard protocol, adding that there is no justification for high-profile passengers to ignore aviation rules.
READ ALSO: We Knew Nigeria Air Was Dead On Arrival – AON Spokesperson
Meanwhile, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has ordered probe into what transpired between Air Peace and Oshiomhole and urged aviation agencies to gather all available evidence on the ground before making any conclusion on what happened.
He directed relevant aviation authorities to bring all reports to his office for deliberation and guide on how to deal with such a scenario in future.
Keyamo called for calm and urged both sides to desist from further accusations and counter-accusations.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with seven years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Master's degree in Mass Communication.
