NCAA Orders Arrest, Prosecution of Air Peace Driver Over Alleged Airport Runway Blockade

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has ordered the immediate identification, arrest, and prosecution of an Air Peace driver who allegedly drove a large passenger bus onto the airside and blocked the runway at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos on Tuesday.

The incident unfolded during an early-morning picketing exercise targeting Air Peace operations. The industrial action was organized by major aviation unions—including the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), and the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE)—with backing from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC).

The unions initiated the demonstration following unheeded warnings regarding domestic airlines' alleged failure to remit the mandatory five percent Ticket Sales Charge (TSC) to aviation authorities. Additionally, labor leaders accused several carriers of restricting workers' constitutional rights to join trade unions through fear of victimization.

During enforcement of the picketing, an unidentified driver drove a company bus onto the active airside and abandoned the vehicle in protest. To prevent flight delays and safety hazards, personnel from the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) subsequently towed the vehicle away to restore normal airport movement.

Confirming the directive, NCAA spokesperson Michael Achimugu strongly condemned the blockade as a severe threat to aviation safety, stating that the driver would be identified and prosecuted under relevant provisions of the Civil Aviation Act.

However, Air Peace spokesperson Efe Whiskey-Osifo strongly disputed the regulatory body's account, denying that any runway had been obstructed. Despite the temporary operational disruptions in Lagos and Abuja, Air Peace later confirmed that flight operations had resumed, maintaining that its workforce had chosen not to participate in the labor dispute.