Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Nigeria Police Force has impounded five vehicles belonging to Air Peace as part of an ongoing investigation into a runway blockade incident that disrupted operations at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, with the number of vehicles in custody rising from an initial three to five, according to police authorities. The vehicles, identified with registration numbers AJJ 589EX, KTU 440EZ, AAA 831F, KTU 85FH and EPE 656HF, are currently being held at the Airport Command of the Nigeria Police pending the conclusion of investigations into the incident, which saw some persons suspected to be staff members of the airline allegedly drive the vehicles onto the airport airside and position them in a manner capable of obstructing aircraft operations.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria had initially towed three Air Peace buses into police custody after they were found parked in a manner that could obstruct airport operations. However, further findings by The PUNCH revealed that the number had risen to five, a development confirmed by the spokesperson for the Airport Command of the Nigeria Police, Muhammed Adeola. Adeola told The PUNCH that the police had contacted Air Peace and asked the airline to produce the drivers who took the vehicles to the sensitive area of the airport. He said the airline, however, claimed that some impostors might have been responsible for the alleged unruly conduct involving the vehicles and promised to conduct an internal investigation to identify those responsible.
As of the time of filing this report, Adeola said Air Peace had yet to provide the police with the outcome of its investigation. He added that the vehicles would remain in police custody until the airline produced the drivers who operated them. "Yes, you are correct, there are five in our compound. When we started our investigation, we met with Air Peace and expected them to provide us with the drivers," Adeola said. "But they told us that they believed some saboteurs must have driven their vehicles and all of that. They then promised to conduct an internal investigation and provide us with whoever they found to have driven the buses. Until then, the vehicles will be in our possession, since we must know those who attempted to disrupt the smooth running of airport operations."
The incident occurred amid an industrial action by aviation unions over Air Peace's alleged refusal to remit the five per cent Ticket Sales Charge to the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, as required by law. The action, which grounded Air Peace's operations at the Lagos and Abuja airports, disrupted travel plans and left passengers scrambling for alternative means of transportation. The unions had targeted Air Peace over claims that the airline was the largest debtor of funds due to the NCAA. Prior to the action, the unions had issued three stages of warnings, threatening to picket airlines that allegedly failed to remit the five per cent TSC to the NCAA. The unions also alleged that some domestic airlines had made it difficult for employees to freely join trade unions, claiming that workers were afraid to express interest in union membership for fear of discrimination or victimisation. The unions, however, described the industrial action as a measure of restraint, saying they had given the affected airlines several weeks to resolve the issues.
Efforts to obtain a reaction from the airline were unsuccessful, as the airline's spokesman, Efe Osifo-Whiskey, did not respond to questions on the matter. Air Peace has reportedly attributed the airport incident to possible sabotage and commenced an internal investigation, but the police have made it clear that the vehicles will remain in custody until the airline provides the information needed to identify those responsible for the blockade. The incident has raised concerns about airport security and the potential for disruption of airport operations, particularly in the context of ongoing industrial disputes in the aviation sector. As the investigation continues, the five Air Peace vehicles remain in police custody, their fate hanging in the balance as the airline and the authorities seek to unravel the mystery of who drove them onto the runway and why.
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