NCAA Orders Arrest of Air Peace Driver for Runway Blockade

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has mandated the arrest and prosecution of an unidentified driver from Air Peace for allegedly blocking the runway at Lagos airport. This incident occurred during a picketing organized by the National Union of Air Transport Employees, Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, and the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers, supported by the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress.

The unions initiated the protest due to grievances over the non-payment of a five percent Ticket Sales Charge owed to the NCAA and alleged intimidation of employees wishing to join trade unions. A source indicated that the driver parked a bus on the airside in protest, prompting the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to tow the vehicle.

NCAA spokesperson Michael Achimugu confirmed the order for the driver's identification and prosecution, emphasizing the seriousness of blocking a runway. In response, Air Peace spokesperson Efe Whiskey-Osifo refuted the claim, questioning the definition of a runway and asserting that the bus did not block it.