Sirika: Unruly VIP passengers at airports will be prosecuted

Hadi Sirika, the minister of aviation, says the law gives room to prosecute passengers for being unruly at the airport.

Speaking on Thursday at the presidential taskforce on COVID briefing, the minister said the punishment for unruly behaviour according to the law is a minimum of two months imprisonment.

Sirika was reacting to allegations by the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) that some persons violated COVID-19 protocols at the airport.

FAAN had alleged that Abdulaziz Yari, former governor of Zamfara state, and Ahmadu Fintiri, governor of Adamawa state, refused to observe health protocols at the Aminu Kano Airport and the Port Harcourt International Airport respectively.

Both politicians have denied the allegations.

“They are being investigated and if it is found that it was true we will do the needful and if it is found untrue, we would definitely apologize to these individuals,” Sirika said.

“Any passenger who becomes unruly at the airport terminal building or on-board a particular aircraft commits an offence.

“Fighting or other disorderly conduct on-board of an aircraft or in the terminal building which means in the vicinity of an airport or inside an aircraft and according to E part: unruly behaviour means disobedience of lawful instructions issued by the aircraft commander, which is the captain; or flight crew means any pilot; or flight engineer; cabin crew; cabin attendants, check-in staff; and all security screening staff; or any local staff on lawful duty at the airport.

“So if you refuse their instructions, you will be termed an unruly passenger.”

Quoting regulations provided by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the minister said: “an unruly passenger behaviour requires the punishment of criminal referral for imprisonment for not less than two months, so it can be 10 years”.

“So if you are found to be an unruly passenger because you are a big man ‘VIP’, the simplest thing we could do is to refer you to the police and they must by law prosecute you regardless and it will be not less than two months.

“Please VIPs, show that you are a VIP by conducting yourself in the manner that you would want to be identified with.

“If you are caught, we have some videos on these unruly passengers who will investigate and the punishment will be not less than two months of being criminally liable by a court of law. We mean business we are very serious about this.”

He explained that agencies operating at the airport have a responsibility to keep passengers and staff safe.