Air PeaceNCAA Demands Arrest of Air Peace Driver for Parking Bus on Airport Runway
The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has directed aviation security and relevant authorities to identify, arrest, and prosecute an Air Peace driver who allegedly parked a company vehicle on the airside, obstructing operations at the Lagos airport.
The incident occurred on Tuesday amid heightened tension as major aviation unions, including NUATE, ATSSSAN, and NAAPE, supported by the NLC and TUC, picketed Air Peace. The labor unions are protesting over non-remittance of the mandatory five percent Ticket Sales Charge (TSC) to aviation authorities and alleging that airline management restricts workers from joining trade unions.
According to airport sources, during the union action, an Air Peace staff member drove a large bus onto the airside area and abandoned it on site in apparent protest against the picketing. The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) had to deploy towing equipment to clear the vehicle and restore movement on the airside.
Confirming the action, NCAA spokesperson Michael Achimugu condemned the obstruction, calling it unacceptable and dangerous to aviation safety.
“We have ordered that the driver in question be identified and arrested for onward prosecution,” Achimugu stated. “How can somebody block the runway? That is seriously uncalled for. We will investigate, and the necessary portions of the civil aviation act will be invoked.”
However, Air Peace spokesperson Efe Whiskey-Osifo refuted the allegations, denying that the bus ever blocked the runway or jeopardized flight operations.
Investigations into the incident and the broader labor dispute are currently ongoing.
