Senator and former governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole, got into an altercation with airport staff at the Lagos airport after he reportedly missed his flight.
Air Peace airline was on gridlock as Senator Oshiomhole forced the closure of the Zulu terminal at the General Aviation Terminal (GAT) in Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, after arriving late for his flight.
It was reported that the senator blocked the entrance to the terminal after arriving 20 minutes past the scheduled departure time. The obstruction prevented other passengers from accessing the terminal, causing delays. Staff members soon got involved, but the senator refused to move despite repeated pleas from terminal managers.
Sources say the terminal manager’s efforts to de-escalate the disruption were met with stiff resistance from Oshiomhole, eventually prompting the intervention of the regional manager.
A management meeting was hurriedly convened to pacify the senator and convince him to allow normal operations to resume.
Witnesses described the scene as chaotic and humiliating for airline and airport personnel, who were seen pleading with the senator to stand down.
Air Peace, the airline scheduled to fly the senator to Abuja, refused to accommodate him, citing his late arrival and strict adherence to check-in policies.
“He missed the flight. That’s the simple truth. He wanted them to delay the flight for him, but Air Peace refused,” a source familiar with the incident said.
“Oshiomhole blocked the terminal entrance completely until the regional manager came to resolve the issue. The terminal manager made all attempts to resolve it, but Oshiomhole rebuffed everything,” the source added.
“There was a management meeting called to beg Oshiomhole. He disrupted flights by shutting down the Zulu Terminal. The situation was so tense that a management meeting was hurriedly convened to plead with the senator to step aside so that operations could resume.”
Air Peace management has since expressed its displeasure to the senator’s team, condemning his behavior and issuing a public statement.
“Air Peace strongly condemns the unruly conduct of a prominent Nigerian politician who disrupted airport operations on the morning of Wednesday, June 11, 2025,” the statement said.
“The prominent individual in question arrived at Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal 1 (Zulu Hall) at approximately 6:10 a.m. for Flight P47120, scheduled to depart Lagos for Abuja at 6:30 a.m. In line with our standard on-time departure policy, the boarding process had closed, and the flight departed as scheduled.”
Although the airline claims Oshiomhole was late, the senator tells a different story.
According to him, his original flight was canceled the day before, so he rebooked for the following day—Wednesday, the day of the incident. He said he checked in online and arrived at the airport a little after 6 a.m. for the 6:30 a.m. flight, but was not allowed to board.
“How can you close boarding for a 6:30 flight at 6:05? What is the purpose of online check-in, then?” Oshiomhole asked. “If I had to go through another check-in process, then what’s the point of checking in online?” He claimed other passengers were similarly affected.
“I saw many men and women who had been there even before me, with similar experiences,” he said. “Basically, they were selling tickets on the spot at higher prices. I’ll give you an example. A lady bought her ticket online for N146,000. She arrived at the airport at 5:55 a.m. for the 6:30 a.m. flight, after the gatemen had delayed her.”
Oshiomhole alleged that airline staff were refusing to board online ticket holders, while late arrivals were being sold tickets at inflated prices at the ticket stand.
“They told her the flight was full and she would have to wait. Meanwhile, the airline was selling tickets on the spot for between N200,000 and N300,000,” he said. “To take advantage of the situation, they discouraged those who had bought tickets online at lower rates and sold to people willing to pay more.”
After learning this, Oshiomhole said he took matters into his own hands to stop what he described as injustice.
“I said to the manager, ‘You must follow the rules.’ Many people were stranded, except those who could afford another ticket. I followed the woman to the counter and told her to do whatever they asked. Those of us who were also prevented from flying gathered there. Even when an officer offered me access to a lounge, people around said, ‘Comrade, please don’t leave—this is how they’ve been treating us.’”
If the senator’s claims are true, Air Peace has a lot to answer for. The airline has already come under fire recently over a five-hour flight delay, and this latest incident only adds fuel to the fire.
There has been no official response yet from Air Peace regarding Oshiomhole’s allegations however, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has intervened in the dispute.
In a statement issued via his verified X handle on Friday, Keyamo confirmed that he has been in direct contact with both parties since the incident occurred and has instructed aviation agencies to refrain from making hasty conclusions.
“I have directed all aviation agencies to exercise restraint and adhere to the principle of hearing all sides before drawing conclusions,” the minister said.
For now investigations are still ongoing but theJour.com will continue to follow the story and provide updates as they unfold.
