…Why Passengers Are Unruly, By National Assembly
LAGOS – The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has directed that all mobile phones be switched off during flight take-off and landing.
Capt. Chris Najomo, the Director-General Civil Aviation (DGCA), issued this directive on Tuesday in Abuja.
He stressed that the widely accepted “flight mode” option will no longer be permitted, directing that all passengers must now completely switch off electronic devices during flights.
“All mobile phones, I repeat, all mobile phones and other portable electronic devices should be switched off during at least the critical phase of flight on all Nigerian airlines. Switched off. There’s nothing like anything like flight mode any longer. Must be switched off. Nigerian air operators are therefore required to amend their operations manual to reflect this requirement and submit to the NCAA for approval, if different from this resolution”, he said.
Najomo added that tough measures to address the growing trend of unruly passenger behaviour across the country’s airports had been put in place, warning that the era of “business as usual” is over.
“And, you know, I had to call this stakeholders meeting because going further, we know what the responsibilities of the airlines are, what the responsibilities of passengers are, and where the CA, the FAAN, and AVSEC stand. I can assure you where we have decided. I’ve told the Director of Consumer Protection we’re going to do a lot of radio jingles, TV series. We’re going to go on air. We’ll make sure that we take all these preambles of informing passengers, going further of their responsibilities, and going further, things will not be as usual as what it is. If you’re unruly, you’re unruly.
“So, you see, we have a new beginning from where we are. It will not be business as usual. I can assure you that. It will not. And I want to also tell the airline operators here, we are going to start checking that you will do the adequate training,” he said.
Earlier, Capt. Chris Najomo in his welcome address, at a one-day Emergency National Civil Aviation Security Committee and Stakeholders Meeting, convened by the NCAA in Abuja, warned that the recent occurrences involving passenger unruliness and perceived lapses in the system could ultimately damage public trust in aviation.
He posited that these had necessitated re-assessing the regulatory agency’s actions and responses in line with laid down policies, procedures and protocols.
He added: “As the regulator, the NCAA has seen the urgent need to call the responsible parties together to ensure our respective roles and responsibilities are not only understood as detailed in several documents, but carried out professionally and effectively.
“Today’s engagement is not about pointing fingers or apportioning blame – No, that would not achieve the desired results – It is rather about listening, discussing and awakening us to our individual and collective responsibilities towards a safe and secure air transport sector.”
Meanwhile, the National Assembly has observed that lack of discipline and strict adherence to professional conduct by air travellers and airport workers, including the aircraft crew, are some of the reasons for the recent unruly behaviours noticed in the Nigerian aviation industry recently.
This is as the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has said that Wasiu Ayinde, popularly known as King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal 1 (KWAM1), the Fuji musician, and Ms. Comfort Emmanson may have learnt their lessons following the sanctions that followed their conduct on the airside incidents.
Speaking at a one-day Emergency National Civil Aviation Security Committee and Stakeholders Meeting, convened by the NCAA in Abuja, on Tuesday, Sen. Buhari Abdulfatai, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Aviation, said that Nigeria had enough rules and regulations guiding its aviation activities.
He also challenged the government and its agencies to ensure that those employed into the industry were willing to comply with the recommendations and standards of the sector.
He, however, lauded the NCAA for insisting on strict adherence to rules and regulations guiding the industry and called on other agencies to complement the NCAA’s effort in ensuring continued safety and security in the sector.
He said: “The challenge we have as a people and a nation is lack of discipline and professionalism. As a regulator, we should ensure that those we bring in as our workforce, irrespective of any channel they are brought in, should be made known to them that they must obey the industry rules.
“We are not here to share blame, but to let the people know that we have a responsibility to discharge our duties. We have enough rules and regulations in the sector, but the only thing remaining is compliance. Other agencies in the sector should play their part to complement whatever the NCAA is doing.”
Also, Mr. Michael Achimugu, the Director, Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, NCAA, said that the authority had invited Ms. Comfort Emmanson and Juliana Edward, the Ibom Air cabin crew, for continued investigation over the August 10, 2025 incident aboard the airline from Uyo to Lagos airports.
According to Achimugu, the NCAA had on Tuesday spoken with Emmanson and had invited her and the cabin crew for further investigation on the incident.
He explained that further investigation by the NCAA on the incident would shed more light on the unruly behaviour, which gained traction in the nation recently.
He said: “I have spoken with Ms. Emmanson this morning. We are also inviting the Ibom Air cabin crew for continued investigation on the incident. They will be here tomorrow (Wednesday).”
Achimugu also clarified that the pilot-in-command on touching down at the Lagos airport did not immediately invite the security operatives because the issue seemed to have been settled in Uyo.
But noted that when the aircraft landed Ms. Emmansoon visited the restroom, which made her the last passenger to disembark from the aircraft on the said day.
But Achimugu assured that the NCAA would conduct further investigation on the issue with the aim of getting all the required details.
Achimugu in his presentation, at the forum said that both the passengers and airlines have rights and responsibilities, but said these must be done at the right time.
The director insisted that unruly behaviour among air travellers was not on the rise in the country, describing it as a global phenomenon.
He added that the advent of social media had also helped to amplify this conduct globally.
Besides, he dismissed the notion that the NCAA was not doing enough awareness about passengers’ rights and conducts, saying that 2024 witnessed the highest refunds by the airlines in the annals of Nigeria’s aviation industry.
On the KWAM 1 saga and ValueJet, Achimugu explained that all the parties involved had learnt their lessons following the various sanctions that followed their conduct on the August 5, 2025 airside incident.
He said: “I’m very certain that KWAM1 and the pilots will never do what they did again. More people are now aware where they should take their complaints to.
“There is an increased number of complaints from the passengers. In 2024 alone, the airlines made the highest refund ever in the industry.”
By Olusegun Koiki @Independent
