adminreporter
A major disruption occurred at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos on Wednesday morning when Senator Adams Oshiomhole, former Edo State governor and current representative of Edo North in the Senate, forcefully shut down the Zulu Terminal of the General Aviation Terminal (GAT) after missing his flight to Abuja.
The incident, which has since drawn national attention, was confirmed in a statement by Air Peace, the airline operating the missed flight. According to the airline, the senator arrived at approximately 6:10 a.m. for Flight P47120, scheduled to depart Lagos for Abuja at 6:30 a.m. However, boarding had already closed in line with standard procedures.
“Upon being informed of the missed flight, the politician resorted to violence, physically assaulting our staff and forcefully barricading the terminal’s entrance,” the airline said in a strongly worded statement released later that day.
Witnesses described the scene as chaotic and humiliating for both airline and airport staff, many of whom were seen pleading with the senator to de-escalate the situation.
Air Peace further alleged that Oshiomhole sealed the terminal gate and personally manned the access point, preventing other travelers from entering the terminal and boarding their own flights.
“This unacceptable behavior caused significant disruption to ongoing operations and affected numerous travelers scheduled for various flights,” the airline stated.
To manage the fallout, Air Peace said it quickly implemented a contingency plan to reroute affected passengers through an alternative terminal, ensuring the continuity of travel for others.
“We are deeply saddened that such a high-profile figure displayed conduct so unbecoming and disruptive to fellow passengers and our personnel,” the airline said, adding, “Air Peace maintains a zero-tolerance stance on violence or any form of aggression against our staff and passengers.”
The Zulu Terminal, formerly the old Ikeja Airport and now a key section of the GAT, handles high-traffic domestic routes including flights to Abuja, Benin, Asaba, Port Harcourt, Ilorin, Enugu, Calabar, Uyo, Owerri, and Yola. The incident led to a near-total shutdown of the terminal during the peak morning hours.
Air Peace used the opportunity to call on all passengers to respect aviation protocols and timelines, stressing that “no individual, no matter how influential, is above these values.”
As of press time, Senator Oshiomhole had not issued a statement regarding the incident. However, calls for accountability and disciplinary measures are mounting from both civil society and aviation stakeholders concerned about the precedent the senator’s actions may set.
