The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority has appealed to passengers aboard the Ibom Air Uyo–Lagos flight (IAN513) during last Sunday’s disruption to provide firsthand accounts as part of its ongoing investigation.
In a statement posted on Tuesday, NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Mike Achimugu, urged eyewitnesses to contact him directly.
“Once verified as a passenger on that flight, we can discuss and understand other perspectives to this issue. In the interest of justice and fairness, it is necessary to hear both sides of the story,” he wrote.
Achimugu stressed that while unruly behaviour would not be excused, “every other person who was culpable down the line will be held accountable.” He said NCAA officials in Lagos would commence a fact-finding mission and liaise with the police and other security personnel involved.
He added: “One hopes that lessons are learned from these events and that necessary adjustments and improvements are implemented by all stakeholders — passengers, airline staff, aviation security, etc. At the end of it all, the message remains the same — in aviation, it is safety first, safety second, and safety third.”
