Two Passengers to Face Court for Smoking on Air Peace Flight

The Airport Police in Lagos will take two passengers to court for smoking and causing trouble on an Air Peace flight from South Africa to Lagos. This incident set off the plane's emergency smoke alarm and made other passengers panic.

The police shared this news on Friday through a statement from ASP Mohammed Adeola, the Police Public Relations Officer. The two suspects are Enaruna Prince Aghama, 51, and Tony Ajayi, 43.

According to the statement, Aviation Security staff handed the suspects over to the International Airport Police Division after the plane landed at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja. The police began their investigations right away.

Preliminary findings showed that the trouble started around 7:44 p.m. on Thursday while the flight was making its way to Lagos. The statement said, "Preliminary investigation revealed that at about 1944hrs on 9th July, 2026, while aboard an Air Peace flight from South Africa to Lagos, the suspects lit and smoked cigarettes inside the aircraft, an action which activated the aircraft’s smoke detection and emergency alarm system, causing panic and anxiety among passengers and cabin crew."

The police also found out that the suspects had alcohol with them. They did not cooperate when the cabin crew tried to enforce safety rules. The statement added that the pair, "became uncooperative and verbally aggressive when cabin crew members attempted to de-escalate the situation and enforce established safety regulations, thereby further disrupting the orderly conduct of the flight."

The Commissioner of Police at the Airport Command, CP Ogunbode Olufunke, called the suspects' behavior unacceptable. She said, "Any act capable of compromising aviation safety or disrupting the orderly operation of an aircraft is unacceptable."

Olufunke also mentioned that the police are dedicated to enforcing aviation security laws to protect everyone at the airport, including passengers and crew members. She urged travelers to follow the rules set by airline staff and aviation workers. She stressed that, "maintaining discipline and orderly conduct aboard aircraft is a shared responsibility essential to safe air travel."

The police said the suspects will appear in court after the investigation is complete.