DHQ faces criticism over airport security breaches by military personnel

Monday, February 2, 2026 - The Nigerian military has come under renewed scrutiny following a series of airport security breaches involving attempts by serving officers to carry firearms onboard commercial aircraft, actions that aviation experts say violate both local and international safety regulations.

Investigations by The PUNCH reveal that attempts to smuggle service pistols and rifles into passenger aircraft have become increasingly frequent in recent months, with military personnel accounting for most of the reported cases. The trend has raised concern within the aviation industry and unease among senior military authorities, who fear the incidents could erode confidence in airport security systems.

Under regulations of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority and provisions of the International Civil Aviation Organisation, particularly Annex 17 and related security standards, firearms are classified as dangerous goods. Such weapons are prohibited in aircraft cabins and may only be transported under strict procedures, including mandatory declaration, security screening, and handover to the aircraft captain for safe custody until arrival at the destination.

One of the most prominent incidents allegedly involved a serving naval officer, Lieutenant Adam Muhammad Yerima, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, in November. A senior official of ValueJet Airlines, who spoke to The PUNCH on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, disclosed that Yerima attempted to board a commercial ValueJet flight while in possession of a pistol.

Yerima had earlier drawn public attention after confronting the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, over a land-related dispute in Abuja. Weeks later, reports emerged alleging an assassination attempt on his life, a claim that was subsequently debunked by the police.

According to the airline source, the officer bypassed the mandatory passenger screening process and attempted to board the aircraft with a firearm. “He bypassed the mandatory passenger screening process and tried to board the aircraft with a firearm. This is a clear breach of aviation security rules, and our staff had no option but to insist on compliance,” the official said.

Further findings indicate that the officer gained access to the boarding terminal through the military wing of the airport, effectively avoiding the standard civilian security screening procedures required of all passengers, including VIPs.

The situation reportedly escalated when the officer accused the airline of “disrespect,” an allegation the airline firmly denied. “Our officials were simply doing their jobs. Nobody is permitted to carry a gun into the cabin of a commercial aircraft. The rules are clear, and they apply to everyone,” the source added.

A separate report by Sahara Reporters corroborated the incident, stating that airline security officials noticed the breach and stopped the officer from boarding with the firearm, insisting that he comply with civil aviation rules applicable to all passengers, including uniformed personnel. The report added that after initial resistance, the officer reportedly submitted to the required screening and declaration procedures and was eventually allowed to board the flight.

The report further alleged that the incident escalated beyond the airport terminal, with the Nigerian military said to have written an official letter to ValueJet Airlines accusing the carrier of disrespecting military personnel and demanding a formal apology for stopping the officer from boarding with his weapon.

Another aviation industry source, who also requested anonymity, confirmed that a separate incident involving a different military officer attempting to carry a service rifle onto a passenger aircraft had been recorded recently, reinforcing concerns that the practice may be spreading.

Aviation security expert and retired Group Captain, John Ojikutu, condemned the breaches, describing them as unacceptable in a sector known for strict regulation.

“There is a standard. There is a regulation. Every passenger must pass through a screening point. Even VIPs have screening points at the VIP lounge. You cannot enter an aircraft until you have been screened,” he said.

Ojikutu explained that once a prohibited item, such as a firearm, is detected at the screening point, the passenger must be stopped immediately.

“If you are sure the person is a military officer, he must still submit the weapon. It should be handed over to the pilot and returned to the officer on arrival at the destination. That is the regulation we know,” he stated.

He added that only very limited exceptions exist globally, noting that even in advanced aviation systems, armed personnel do not freely carry weapons into aircraft cabins.

“The only possible exception may be a General Officer Commanding and his aide-de-camp, but even then, globally, this is rare. In civil aviation, you don’t do that. If the military must carry arms, they should do so on their own aircraft, not on passenger aircraft,” Ojikutu said.

He stressed that responsibility ultimately lies with the authorities managing airport security. “The authority should be held responsible. This is not acceptable. Aviation is heavily regulated. Nobody, no matter how highly placed, should pass through the screening point without complying with the law,” he added.

Also speaking, the Secretary of the Aviation Round Table, Olumide Ohunayo, described military weapons as “dangerous goods” under aviation regulations and warned that their presence in aircraft cabins poses serious safety risks.

“The rules are very clear. Military weapons are strictly forbidden in the cabin. There are exceptions, but these must come with the direct approval of the aircraft captain, and they are usually limited to sky marshals or certain diplomatic security officials,” Ohunayo said.

He cautioned that lax enforcement by some airlines and security agencies could encourage further violations and called on the NCAA to take immediate action.

“When one officer tells his colleagues how he successfully carried a rifle onboard, another will want to try the same. Civil aviation is a heavily regulated environment, and everyone must understand that,” he said.

“I think the NCAA should circulate another directive to all scheduled and non-scheduled airlines, and also formally notify the heads of all security institutions. These rules must be followed to the letter. Such acts are unacceptable and dangerous.”

When contacted, the Chairman of United Nigeria Airlines and spokesperson of the Airline Operators of Nigeria, Prof Obiora Okonkwo, declined to comment. “Please speak with the regulatory agency. I don’t have anything to say to this,” he said.

Efforts to obtain official reactions from the Defence Headquarters and the Nigerian Navy were unsuccessful. Attempts to reach the outgoing Navy spokesperson, Commodore Aiwuyor Adams-Aliu, proved abortive. He, however, provided the contact details of the newly appointed spokesperson, Captain Abiodun Folorunsho.

Calls placed to the number were diverted to voicemail, and a text message sent had not been responded to as of the time of filing this report. The Director of Defence Information, Maj. Gen. Samaila Uba also did not pick up calls and had yet to respond to a text message sent to him on the matter.