The Nigerian Aviation Fire and Safety Association (NAFSA) has warned that a growing culture of impunity among airline passengers is threatening safety at the nation’s airports.
In a letter to the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, the association said years of leniency in handling unruly passengers have emboldened disruptive behaviour and weakened the authority of airport officials.
“Past leniency has created a perception of impunity,” NAFSA stated, warning that such actions, if unchecked, could escalate during the forthcoming Yuletide season when passenger traffic typically surges.
High-profile incidents
The group cited several recent cases involving prominent Nigerians, including former Edo governor, Adams Oshiomhole, fuji musician Wasiu Ayinde (popularly known as KWAM 1), and a passenger identified as Comfort Emmanson — as examples of how disorderly conduct at airports undermines safety and emboldens others to copy such behaviour.
The association argued that weak enforcement of regulations, economic pressures, and disregard for airport authority fuel misconduct. “Unruly passengers are a serious threat, not just to staff but to other travellers and airport security as a whole,” it warned.
NAFSA acknowledged the recent sensitisation campaigns organised by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) but insisted they fall short without consistent enforcement.
While commending Mr Keyamo’s intervention in the Comfort Emmanson case, the group cautioned against what it described as “patterns of forgiveness” that send the wrong message to the public.
“No disorderly passenger should be pardoned in future cases,” the association maintained, urging the government to adopt a zero-tolerance approach.
The association recommended faster adjudication of unruly passenger cases, staff retraining in conflict management, and regular rotation of workers in sensitive duty posts to avoid complacency.
In extreme cases, it suggested that passengers who threaten safety should be immediately removed from flights, even if it means cancellations.
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NAFSA also warned that delays in handling misconduct could erode public confidence in the aviation justice system and compromise security.
Founded nearly three decades ago, NAFSA is a professional body representing aviation fire-fighters, rescue and safety staff across Nigerian airports. It describes itself as a “gatekeeper of safety,” working with FAAN, NCAA, the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), and the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) to push for stronger standards and better training.
The association has a track record of raising alarms about systemic risks in the aviation sector.
For instance in May 2024, it warned of a surge in runway excursions in Lagos and Abuja, urging regulators to enforce safety recommendations.
Earlier this year, in April 2025, it also condemned United Nigeria Airlines for operating flights during a strike by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, saying flying without weather reports endangered lives.
In 2024, it threatened a nationwide protest over government revenue deductions from aviation agencies, arguing the policy was crippling safety-critical functions.
