Nigerian Airline Removes Passenger Who Threatened to 'Burn Down' Plane
- An Air Peace passenger on a flight bound for Asaba was offloaded after a confrontation with cabin crew over his refusal to stop taking pictures
- The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority disclosed that the passenger made a threat about his anger during an altercation with a second crew member
- The captain ordered a ramp return and the passenger was removed from the aircraft along with his travelling companion
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Air Peace offloaded a passenger from flight P47866, which was scheduled to depart for Asaba, Delta State, after he allegedly threatened that his anger could "burn down" the plane during a dispute with crew members before take-off.
The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu, identified the passenger as Celestine Ezeudu.
Source: Getty Images
Achimigu revealed the incident in a post on X @mikeachimugu01 on Monday, November 9, 2026.
According to Achimugu, the trouble started when Ezeudu refused repeated requests from cabin crew to stop taking photographs and put his device away.
The situation worsened when a second crew member stepped in.
"The passenger ignored the instructions and when a second member of the crew approached, an altercation broke out, and the passenger made a statement: 'The anger I am feeling can burn down this plane,'" Achimugu said.
Captain orders ramp return
The crew immediately reported the threat to the captain, who ordered the aircraft back to the ramp at 15:57. Ezeudu was then removed from the plane. His travelling companion chose to disembark as well.
Achimugu said Ezeudu cooperated during the offloading process without putting up further resistance.
The passenger later told authorities that his frustration had been building after he missed an earlier flight, but he said he had not expected his words and behaviour to result in the plane returning to the gate.
The incident is the latest in a series of clashes between passengers and aviation personnel in Nigeria that have led to flight disruptions, arrests, and regulatory sanctions.
Ibom Air passenger slaps air hostess on plane
Meanwhile, Legit.ng also reported that an unexpected drama unfolded as an Ibom Air passenger was filmed slapping an air hostess on the plane.
The passenger also struggled with the security that confronted her at the Lagos airport in videos that emerged online.
Many who saw the videos of the incident shared their thoughts on the lady's reaction to the issue.
Source: Legit.ng
