A man in his twenties was, on Friday, December 27, arrested in Lagos for trying to hide in the wheelhouse of an aircraft belonging to Air Peace which was about leaving the Murtala Muhammed International Airport.
The young man, whose identity could not be immediately ascertained, was said to have emerged from the bush close to the runway at the airport and attempted to gain access to the wheel of the plane, which was already trying to take off, the airline’s spokesman Stanley Olisa said.
Olisa said the pilot in command of the aircraft was alerted of the development by another pilot of a private jet who informed security personnel attached to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN ) who whisked the man away.
In a statement on Friday Air Peace said: “This morning, at exactly 9:10 at the MMA1 Lagos, an Owerri-bound Air Peace aircraft(flight P47252) was taxing towards the threshold for take-off, when a man, in his twenties, emerged from the bush along the runway 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 twenties, 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. He is currently in the regulator’s custody. When interrogated on why he took the action, the man stated that he thought the aircraft was headed overseas. We commend FAAN for its timely intervention. The regulator is already investigating the incident.
“Air Peace remains committed to the safety of its customers and will continue to demonstrate this commitment in all aspects of its operations. At Air Peace, safety is at the heart of what we do.”