Airport Drama: Passenger Defies Crew, Slaps Flight Attendant

Kehinde Adeleye

A tense scene unfolded on Sunday at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos when a female passenger on an Ibom Air flight from Uyo allegedly slapped a flight attendant and confronted airport security officials.
Videos of the incident showed the visibly agitated passenger, dressed in a white top and black trousers, shouting at officials attempting to calm her. In one clip, she appeared to physically attack a female air hostess, with witnesses claiming she struck the crew member. Airport police later stepped in to restore order as the commotion drew the attention of travellers and staff.
Reacting to the incident, Michael Achimugu, Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), said the altercation occurred because the passenger refused to follow crew instructions. He urged air travellers to comply with cabin crew directions, particularly routine safety measures such as switching off mobile phones during takeoff and landing.
“When cabin crew ask you to turn off your phone before takeoff or landing, simply comply. I can’t understand why simple routine issues would lead to incidents like this. Passengers need to understand they have responsibilities, not just rights. More details will be addressed tomorrow,” Achimugu wrote on X late Sunday.
The disturbance happened just days after the NCAA imposed a six-month flight ban on Fuji musician Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, popularly known as KWAM1, over alleged in-flight misconduct.