CHUKS OKOH
The nation’s aviation sector has been thrown into deeper turmoil following a formal petition submitted to the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, by a coalition of major aviation trade unions, labeling the alleged actions of Air Peace Airlines as an act of “aviation terrorism”.
The petition, signed by Comrade Frances Akinjole, General Secretary of the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN); Comrade Igene P.J.A, General Secretary of the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE); and Comrade Umoh Ofonime, Deputy General Secretary of the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE), details a shocking security breach that occurred on August 11, 2026, at the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos.
According to the union leaders, the crisis originated from a lawful, sequential picketing campaign launched against sixteen domestic airlines over alleged violations, including the refusal to unionize employees and the non-remittance of statutory Ticket Sales Charges (TSC) meant for aviation safety agencies.
The unions stated that Air Peace was scheduled as the first target on August 11, and that their initial protest at the airline’s operational area was peaceful until intervention by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development.
The situation reportedly escalated when Air Peace management and staff allegedly mobilized five branded buses, driving them directly onto and across the taxiway and maneuvering area of the airport to block aircraft movements.
The union leaders asserted that this airside incursion completely shut down flight operations from Lagos for hours, violated sterile security protocols, and severely endangered the lives of passengers, crew, and workers.
Invoking the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022 and the Civil Aviation Act 2022, the coalition is urging Mallam Nuhu Ribadu to deploy a joint security team led by his office to conduct a forensic investigation.
Furthermore, the unions are demanding the immediate arrest and prosecution of all individuals who authorized the deployment of the buses, alongside the preservation of CCTV footage and airside logs to safeguard national security and public safety.
