A male passenger was arrested on Thursday after he allegedly became violent and destroyed working equipment, including multiple laptops, belonging to United Nigeria Airlines staff following the cancellation of his flight.
The incident occurred at the airport premises after the airline grounded the aircraft due to a bird strike, a mandatory safety measure.
Safety Protocol Leads to Violence
The Director of Administration at United Nigeria Airlines, Linus Awute, confirmed the incident, explaining that the cancellation was strictly due to safety protocols that could not be compromised, especially concerning Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) regulations.
“It was a bird strike, resulting in a delay. For us, safety is what matters. Whenever such a thing happens to an aircraft, it needs to be grounded and checked. Its safety condition will have to be determined,” Awute explained.
The airline had earlier announced that several flights would be disrupted after one of its aircraft suffered the bird strike, confirming the aircraft was grounded for mandatory technical checks in strict compliance with safety procedures.
Awute stated that despite the presence of NCAA officials who were attempting to calm the situation, the passenger, who claims to have been traveling from Switzerland with his wife, refused to listen and became aggressive.
“There is evidence of pandemonium. There is evidence of somebody grabbing our laptops at the same time,” Awute said, describing the moment the passenger became violent. “And then hitting our staff and smashing their working equipment, that’s what happened.”
Arrest and Negotiation
The Public Relations Officer of United Nigeria Airlines, Chibuike Uloka, confirmed the arrest: “Aviation Security has arrested him and handed him over to the police. From the investigation, we can count about two laptops that the passenger destroyed.”
Awute detailed the options offered to the passengers following the cancellation: same-day refunds or rebooking on another flight.
“Whenever such a thing happens, passengers have options, several options. Either you get your money refunded on the spot, or you are booked on another flight. All of these things will happen only when you are ready to listen,” he explained.
However, the passenger allegedly became aggressive instead of accepting the alternatives.
The airline initially intended to pursue full prosecution for the assault and damage. However, the passenger is now reportedly negotiating with the police to pay for the damages caused.
“And right now he’s negotiating for peace. We want to prosecute him, but he’s negotiating to pay for the damages he has caused. He’s right now negotiating, and our IT unit has gone to look into the laptop and also see how he can replace them,” Awute said.
He questioned the passenger’s sense of impunity, asking, “Can he do this in Switzerland, where he’s coming from? Right now, he won’t be talking about paying for a laptop. He will be locked up.”
The airline assured passengers that while the incident was unforeseen, it remains committed to delivering safe and reliable services, and apologized for the disrupted travel plans.
