NIGERIA MASTERWEB DAILY NEWS

*Nigeria Air Rage

By Lateef Lawal

*Governor Daniel's Aide Went Berserk, Beat Passenger On Board IRS Flight

*Culprits will be prosecuted, says NCAA

*Case reported to Police

There was dramatic scene Wednesday, March 10, when one of the aides of Governor Gbenga Daniel of Ogun State, Nigeria allegedly beat a passenger on board an IRS flight at the Lagos airport. In retaliation, some passengers on board the flight pounced on the governor's aide and dealt with him severely.

The passengers, who proved uncontrollable at the terminal, told reporters that they would fight the case with their last sip of blood, since the manhandled passenger did not commit any offense that warranted the assault.

One of the passengers narrated that their flight which took off from Abuja airport for Lagos, but could not land at Lagos domestic terminal due to unfavourable weather. She said the plane returned to base in Abuja after it hovered for some minutes in Lagos airspace.

She stated that as they prepared to return to Lagos with passengers taking their seats, one of the passengers who had business class ticket went to take his seat at the business class area when one of the aides of the governor told him to vacate the seat, saying it was reserved for the Governor.

The passenger, it was learnt explained that he also bought the same business class seat and could seat anywhere in business area. The aide allegedly told him to vacate the area for the governor and his entourage, a situation which caused a 'brouhaha' from take-off to landing.

STOPPED When Governor Daniel eventually came on board, his aides allegedly dragged the passenger out of the business area which he had paid for and was forced him to sit in the economy area. After the aircraft landed, it was gathered that the passenger was dragged out of the aircraft and beaten, a situation which attracted the attention of security officers attached to MMA2.

At the MMA2, the Chief Security Officer and ADC attached to Daniel were seen telling the security officers that the passenger "embarrassed the governor on board and should suffer the consequence". “I am the Chief Security Officer of the governor, we are not dragging this case because of anything, but for the embarrassment he caused the governor", the Chief Security Officer told the police officers. ( Continues below..... )

The aides, who accused the passenger of calling the governor "stupid", eventually took the case to the Beesam police station when it appeared the security officers could not do anything. Another passenger, who accused the officials of the airline onboard of refusing to intervene, said he had to go into the cockpit to talk to the Pilot to intervene when the issue became very serious. “We need to tell the whole world that we all have equal right anywhere, both on air and on ground”, he stressed.

However, Benedict Ifeanyi, Murtala Muhammed Airport police public relations officer told reporters that the case had been transferred to the Deputy Commissioner of Police at the international airport adding that he received the report yesterday.

Spokesman for the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) Sam Adurogboye said the matter was yet to be reported to the authority, but described the incident as air rage that was capable of leading to accident. He described the situation as horrendous and against all international aviation law, stressing that the culprits could be prosecuted for endangering passengers’ lives.

Lateef Lawal (NigerianAviationNews)

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*Tags: Nigerians, NAMA, FAAN, Abuja, Lagos, Africa, Masterweb