News
Arik Air asks passengers to disembark as traveller ‘disrupts’ Lagos-Abuja flight
An Arik Air flight from Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos to Abuja on Saturday evening was disrupted before take-off.
In a video shared by AIT on Sunday, passengers were seen waiting outside the aircraft, having been asked to disembark for a thorough security check.
The passenger who recorded the incident said a “fake passenger was caught and arrested on the flight”.
“It took us about 30 minutes for them to do the check-in and the boy that ran into the plane, a fake passenger, has been caught and arrested, and they said he will not get bail until he is properly investigated. So, they asked us to come out and do a proper check-in,” the passenger said.
However, speaking to TheCable, Adebanji Ola, head of corporate communications at Arik Air, clarified that the individual was not a fake passenger but rather a disruptive traveller.
According to Ola, the passenger attempted to exit the aircraft during boarding but was quickly apprehended and handed over to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) aviation security (AVSEC).
He said following standard procedure, the airline instructed all passengers to leave the aircraft, allowing for a full security check after which the flight departed for Abuja.
“On flight W3 735 from Lagos to Abuja on October 26, 2024, a disruptive passenger was caught while running out of the aircraft at a time boarding was on,” Ola said.
“He was immediately handed over to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) aviation security (AVSEC).
“In line with standard operating procedure, all other passengers on board the aircraft were disembarked, and a thorough security check was carried out in the aircraft.
“A second boarding was then called after the security check and the flight thereafter departed for Abuja.”
Ola said the arrested passenger was taken to the FAAN AVSEC office till the aircraft arrived at its destination.
‘DISRUPTIVE PASSENGER DEBOARDED FOR SAFETY OF OTHER PASSENGERS’
Confirming the incident, Michael Achimugu, director of public affairs and consumer protection at the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), said the flight, initially scheduled to take off around 6:52pm, was delayed due to the passenger’s behaviour.
Achimugu added that the passenger’s parents were invited after which he was taken away.
“The flight was supposed to take off at 6.20pm. It was supposed to be this time of departure. Now, it was not a fake passenger. It was a passenger on board who, due to suspected, use of hard drugs began to behave crazy,” he said.
“The airline staff had to restrain him for a while before deboarding him for the safety of the other passengers. He was taken by AVSEC to Tango City for holding until the flight eventually took off around 6.52pm.
“There was a 32-minute delay to the flight due to the unruly passenger behaviour.
“His parents were invited to pick him up from there. They came and took him away. The airline departed finally at 18.52 hours with 126 passengers on board.“
Achimugu reiterated that no fake passenger was on board and that the situation was resolved.
Bandits have k!lled seven farmers, including a vigilante, and burnt 50 bags of maize inside a truck in Bangi, Mariga Local Government Area of Niger State.
Sources on Saturday, November 23, told Daily Trust that the victims had gone to bring the harvested maize home from their farm when the bandits ambushed them, k!lled all the occupants in the truck and set the truck.
Bandits have killed seven of our farmers who had gone to farm to bring the maize they had harvested home. The attackers hid and waited until after the victims had loaded the 50 bags of maize into the truck and were about to take off to return home when they opened fire on them. After k!lling the victims, they also set the truck and the 50 bags of maize already loaded ablaze,” a source said.
He said it was difficult for farmers in Mariga to harvest their crops this year due to k!llings and kidnappings by bandits.
The Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Auchi, most Rev. Dr. Gabriel Ghieakhomo Dunia announces the passing unto eternal glory of Rt. Rev. Monsignor Thomas Oleghe, at the Immaculate Conception Cathedral Auchi, during the solemnity of Christ the King
Rev. Monsignor is the oldest Catholic Priest in Nigeria.
Monsignor Oleghe death is very remarkable as the centenarian died during the feast of Christ the King.
The demise of the priest of the order of Melchizedek should be best described as (TRANSITION TO GLORY)
The National Examinations Council (NECO) has given accreditation to more foreign schools to write the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) and the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).
The Acting Director, Information and Public Relations, Mr. Azeez Sani, disclosed this in a statement.
The newly accredited schools are in Niger Republic and Equatorial Guinea.
“NECO Accreditation Team visited the Schools to assess their readiness to write the SSCE and BECE.
“The Accreditation Team inspected classrooms, laboratories, libraries, computer laboratories, workshops, examination halls and sport facilities to determine their adequacy and suitability for NECO Examinations.
“After a thorough evaluation and comprehensive assessment, the schools were granted full SSCE and full BECE accreditation status,” the statement said.
The statement added that the accreditation of additional foreign schools is a testament to NECO’s commitment to providing quality education and assessment beyond the shores of Nigeria.
“With its expanding global presence, NECO is poised to become a leading examination body in Africa, offering opportunities for students worldwide to benefits from its expertise, thus contributing to the advancement of education in Africa and beyond.”
In another development, the statement disclosed that candidates are participating in the on-going NECO SSCE External in Diffa, Niger Republic.
“The UNHCR School, Diffa, Niger Republic is the first NECO SSCE External Centre outside Nigeria.”
NECO examinations are now written by candidates in Benin Republic, Togo, Cote’ d’Ivoire, Niger Republic, Equatorial Guinea and Saudi Arabia.
Insecurity! Bandits k!ll 7 farmers, burn 50 bags of maize in Niger state
Party Crisis Escalates: PDP NEC Meeting Delayed for the Fourth Time
SAD! Roman Catholic Oldest Priest Monsignor Thomas Oleghe dies at 103
Just in: Terrorists ambush military truck, kill all soldiers on board
Nigerian Dancer, Korra Obidi Attacked with acid, stabbed on stage In UK
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