Passengers Panic As Man Climbs Aircraft At Lagos Airport [Video]

Passengers aboard a Port Harcourt-bound Azman Air flight were thrown into panic on Friday after a yet-to-be-identified man climbed the aircraft while it was about to take off at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja.

According to a viral video shot by one of the passengers in Lagos, the man illegally gained access to the airside with a hand luggage.

The video also showed that the man illegally climbed the aircraft wing and deposited the bag inside one of the engines.

The aircraft was at the holding bay expecting clearance for take-off when the incident occurred.

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Guys this is an emmergency o. For 30 minutes we have been stuck at the runway at MMIA by an unidentified man who ran to the aircraft with a bag. Security has not showed up and everyone is panicking. I have so many questions to ask but right now I can't even breathe. Pls share this to all relevant authorities. Dear Nigeria!!!!! Update: He has finally been apprehended and we've all disembarked from the flight. FAAN authorities showed up 23minutes into the scene but were scared to approach him. Security eventually shows up after 37mins. ______ How it happened!! So our flight was taxing on the runway and about taking off when this man shows up running towards the moving aircraft from the bush. The pilot and a few passengers spotted him running towards the aircraft and the pilot immediately slowed down and quickly put off the engine. The guy approaches the plane with gloves and starts walking around and under the aircraft holding a bag which he dropped inside the engine. Thanks to the Pilot of the Azman Airline for quickly observing and taking swift action.. I still have a million and one questions to ask cos anything could have gone wrong! Nigeria will work perfectly someday. This I know. 🇳🇬🇳🇬🇳🇬

A post shared by Amb. Otto Orondaam (@otto_orondaam) on Jul 19, 2019 at 2:24am PDT

The action caused panic and frenzy as some of the passengers immediately demanded the pilot and cabin crew to open the aircraft doors for them to disembark due to safety concerns.

Mrs Henrietta Yakubu, General Manager, Corporate Affairs, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), who confirmed the development to newsmen said the man had been arrested.

According to her, the stowaway was arrested by Aviation Security Personnel and was taken to Tango City, a FAAN security unit domiciled at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja.

Also, the spokesperson for the Lagos Airport Police Command, DSP Joseph Alabi, confirmed the development to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

Alabi, however, said that the case had not been transferred to the Command from Tango City, adding that further information would be released in due course.

A reliable source, however, told NAN that the individual, upon arrest, claimed he wanted to travel to Ghana but refused to disclose how he managed to gain access to the restricted airside.