LAGOS – The Ikeja Magistrate District, sitting in Lagos, has adjourned the case of the three Air Peace passengers accused of unruly beahaviours on its London-Lagos flight till March 3, 2025.
A statement by Dr. Ejike Ndiulo, the Spokesman of the airline on Monday, said that the court on Friday, adjourned the case till March 3.
The accused passengers, according to the statement are Adewale Adedigba (52), Magnis Ashibuogwu (50), and Iwunze Benjamin (30).
The statement hinted that the charges stemmed from an incident that took place on February 12, 2025, at approximately 8:00pm onboard of Flight No. P4 7579.
According to the police, the defendants disrupted the flight by shouting at the top of their voices, causing panic and public disturbance among passengers and crew.
The police said that their actions were deemed a breach of public peace under Section 168(1)(d) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.
The suspects were further accused of “unlawfully” moving from their “originally assigned economy class seats to the business class section without authorisation.”
This conduct, which violated Section 4(1)(a)(b) of the FAAN Bye-Law 2005, prompted swift intervention from the airline staff, who reported the incident upon landing at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, the statement said.
Following their arrest by airport police, the passengers were formally charged and brought before the court under the jurisdiction of the Airport Command.
The prosecution, led by Oladipupo Taiwo, pressed for strict adherence to aviation laws to deter similar incidents in the future.
The statement added: “During the court session, the defendants’ plea was not immediately recorded, leading the magistrate to adjourn the case to March 3, 2025, for hearing.
“The delay allows both the prosecution and defense to prepare their arguments, with potential penalties including fines or imprisonment if the defendants are found guilty.”
The airline expressed that this case underscored the growing need for stricter enforcement of in-flight conduct regulations in Nigeria’s aviation sector.
Some industry experts have called for heightened awareness and compliance to ensure the safety and comfort of all passengers.
The airline said that the upcoming hearing would determine the fate of the accused and set a precedent for future cases involving disruptive behaviour on flights.
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