Thursday, January 2, 2025 -An unruly French citizen was deboarded by Air France at the Abuja Airport on New Year’s Day after clashing with security agents at the aerodrome.
The Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at the Nigeria
Civil Aviation Authority, Michael Achimugu, disclosed this on his X handle.
According to Achimugu, the unnamed foreign national disrupted multiple flights,
prompting security personnel to remove him from the aircraft and restrict his
access to the boarding area.
He confirmed that the passenger, whose identity remains undisclosed, was
initially deboarded from an Air France flight “due to disruptive behaviour that
posed a safety risk to other passengers.”
Achimugu explained that the irate passenger, who arrived in Abuja
without a valid Nigerian visa, was denied entry into the country.
“Air France accommodated him in a hotel within the airport terminal
after a visit from staff of the French Embassy and a medical doctor. However,
his erratic behaviour continued. After Air France refused to airlift him back
to his country, British Airways also declined to accept him on board due to his
disruptive conduct and his failure to provide proof of payment for his ticket,”
Achimugu said
He further said;
“Since he did not possess a Nigerian visa, he was not allowed into
Abuja. Being a French national, he was visited by staff of the French Embassy
and a doctor and was granted accommodation in a hotel within the airport
terminal. Later, British Airways deboarded him due to the same unruly behaviour
displayed aboard Air France. Today, he was scheduled to depart via Asky but
could not present evidence of payment for the e-ticket he provided. The airline
declined to airlift him.”
Achimugu noted that immigration officials faced significant challenges
handling the erratic passenger, who was seen littering the airport terminal
with tissue paper while shouting, “My passport, my passport.”
“Apparently, the immigration officers wanted to ensure that he boarded his flight before handing him his international passport to prevent him from escaping through the exit gate and into the city,” Achimugu added.
Unruly French passenger deboarded for disrupting flights at Abuja airport (VIDEO) pic.twitter.com/fXPRiKxY3g
— DAILY POST 🇳🇬 (@dailypost_ng) January 2, 2025
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