Michael Achimugu, director of consumer protection and public affairs at theNigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) says an Air France airline, on Tuesday, deboarded an “unruly” passenger at the Abuja International Airport.
Achimugu, in a post on X on Wednesday, said the passenger’s disruptive behaviour in the aircraft was a safety risk for other passengers.
The NCAA official said the passenger did not possess a Nigerian visa, hence he was not allowed into Abuja.
“Being a French national, he was visited by staff of the French Embassy and a doctor and then granted accommodation in the hotel within the airport terminal,” Achimugu wrote.
“Later, British Airways deboarded him due to the same unruly behaviour he had put up aboard Air France.
“Today, he was supposed to depart via Asky but could not present evidence of payment for the e-‘ticket’ he presented. The airline declined to airlift him.
“Immigration officials had quite a hectic time handling the erratic passenger who can be seen littering our clean terminal with what seems to be tissue paper and screaming, ‘My passport, my passport’.
“Apparently, the Immigration officers wanted to ensure that he boarded his flight before handing the passenger his international passport to prevent him from escaping through the exit gate and into the city.”
Achimugu added that Miriam Anosike, NCAA’s consumer protection regional head, “understanding the security, safety, and diplomatic ramifications of the case, addressed Air France personnel sternly, reminding them that they brought the passenger to Nigeria and must be responsible for airlifting him out of Nigeria as he is becoming a liability to the country”.
“If you are afraid to airlift him, why do you expect other airlines to be responsible for him? Get him a ticket and move him tomorrow!” he quoted Anosike as saying.
He also commended Anosike, “whose years of experience as CPO came in handy”.
“Tomorrow night, we will monitor Air France operations to ensure that the passenger is safely airlifted,” he added.
Achimugu commended the immigration officials “who also kept their cool all through”.
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