The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has called on passengers who were aboard the Ibom Air Uyo–Lagos flight (IAN513) during the recent onboard fracas to come forward and share their accounts of the incident.
In a statement on Tuesday, NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu, urged any witness to contact him via direct message or email at michael.achimugu@ncaa.gov.ng for verification and further discussion.
Achimugu said the move was aimed at ensuring justice and fairness by hearing “both sides of the story” while holding every culpable party accountable.
“This does not negate the exhibition of unruly behaviour and its ramifications, but it will ensure that every other person who was culpable down the line is held accountable,” he noted.
The NCAA spokesperson added that officers in Lagos would embark on a fact-finding mission, engaging with the police and other security personnel who were involved in managing the incident.
Achimugu emphasised that the incident should serve as a lesson for all stakeholders in the aviation sector, including passengers, airline staff, and aviation security personnel.
“It is a test for the system. No matter how fine regulations are, human behaviour will always be unpredictable. When these events occur, we are able to see the gaps and plug loopholes,” he said.
He reiterated NCAA’s core safety message, stating: “In aviation, it is safety first, safety second, and safety third.”
