Air Peace: Anxiety as man hiding in bush attempts to enter moving aircraft

Operators of Air Peace Airline has said that a man in his 20s emerged from the bush along the runway of the Murtala Muhammed Airport I (MMAI) and tried to gain access into its aircraft through the wheel-well on Friday.

Mr Stanley Olisa, the Corporate Communications Executive of the airline, disclosed this in a statement issued in Lagos.

He said that the incident happened at exactly 9.10 am. at the Murtala Muhammed Airport I (MMA I).

“This morning (Friday), at exactly 9.10 am. at the MMA I, Lagos, an Owerri-bound Air Peace aircraft (flight P47252) was taxing toward the threshold for take-off when a man, in his 20s, emerged from the bush and tried to gain access to the aircraft through the wheel-well.

“There was a private jet behind the aircraft. The pilot in command of the private jet informed the Air Peace pilot in command that a young man, obviously in his 20s, was trying to force his way into the aircraft.

“The security wing of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) was alerted and the man was accosted and whisked away,” Olisa said.

He added that the man was already in the regulator’s custody and had been interrogated on why he took the action.

Olisa quoted the man as saying that he thought the aircraft was heading for overseas.

The Air Peace official commended FAAN for its timely intervention, saying that it was already investigating the incident.

Also, Mrs Henrietta Yakubu, the General Manager, Corporate Affairs, FAAN, confirmed to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the phone that the man had been arrested and that investigation would be carried out on the incident.