FAAN Probes Passenger’s Forceful Removal From Enugu Air Flight

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) said it has launched an investigation into an incident involving a passenger and Enugu Air.

A video circulating on social media since Monday showed security operatives forcibly removing a passenger from an Enugu Air flight after he allegedly refused to switch off his mobile phone.

Speaking with reporters on Tuesday, the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at FAAN, Obiageli Orah, confirmed that investigations were ongoing.

She, however, said preliminary findings indicated that the incident stemmed from the passenger’s refusal to comply with safety instructions.

“Right now, we are still investigating to get the full information about what happened,” Orah said.

“So far, what we have gathered is that a passenger was meant to switch off his mobile phone but he refused to abide by that instruction. Other passengers in the airplane also joined in asking him to turn off his mobile phone, and when he refused to do that, the securities on ground were alerted.

“Even the passengers were not comfortable with him refusing to switch off his phone, and the securities had to deplane him. That is what we have gathered so far, but we are still on that to get the full information.”

The FAAN spokesperson explained that the flight, which was scheduled to depart Enugu for Lagos, could not proceed until the unruly passenger was removed.

“He became unruly and the pilot had to report the matter to the controller,” she said.

“What is interesting is that other passengers in the aircraft were quite uncomfortable with the non-compliance of the passenger, and they even joined in asking him to turn off his phone. The aircraft had to go back to deplane him.”

The development came weeks after the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) directed that all mobile phones must be completely switched off during flight take-off and landing.

The directive followed a recent air rage incident involving Comfort Emmanson, a passenger accused of unruly behaviour on an Ibom Air flight from Uyo to Lagos.