A passenger has been removed from an Air Peace aircraft after allegedly threatening to burn down the plane during an argument with cabin crew. The incident happened aboard flight P47866, scheduled to travel to Asaba, Delta State. The passenger reportedly refused repeated instructions to stop taking pictures and put away his device.
The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) confirmed the incident, raising fresh concerns about passenger behaviour and airline safety in Nigeria. The NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu, disclosed the development in a post on X on Monday.
According to Achimugu, the situation worsened when another crew member approached the passenger, identified as Celestine Ezeudu. During the confrontation, Ezeudu allegedly made a disturbing statement that forced the crew to alert the captain.
“The passenger ignored the instructions and when a second member of the crew approached, an altercation broke out, and the passenger made a statement: ‘The anger I am feeling can burn down this plane,’” Achimugu said.
The captain subsequently ordered the aircraft to return to the ramp at 15:57. This allowed the passenger to be removed before departure. Ezeudu reportedly left the aircraft without further resistance. His travelling companion also chose to disembark.
Achimugu said the passenger later explained that he was angry because he had missed an earlier flight. However, he reportedly did not expect his actions to disrupt the scheduled journey.
In August 2025, Ibom Air reported an incident involving passenger Comfort Emmanson on its Uyo-Lagos flight. The airline alleged that Emmanson refused to switch off her phone before take-off. It later accused her of assaulting crew members and security personnel in Lagos.
She was restrained, removed from the aircraft and handed over to the police. Another widely discussed incident involved Fuji musician Wasiu Ayinde, popularly known as KWAM 1, at Abuja airport in August 2025.
He reportedly disagreed with aviation officials over a flask containing liquid before a ValueJet flight to Lagos. The NCAA and aviation authorities subsequently took action over the incident.
The NCAA has repeatedly warned passengers against abusing crew members, ignoring safety instructions or disrupting flight operations. Passengers with complaints are advised to use official channels instead of confronting airline staff.
