By Ghazali Ibrahim
An Enugu Air flight from Abuja to Lagos on Friday morning turned tense when a passenger refused to switch off his mobile phone despite repeated instructions from the cabin crew and the pilot.
The female captain, who was in command of the aircraft, stopped the plane on the runway and announced that she might be forced to make a u-turn if the passenger continued to defy safety protocols.
Her firm stance prompted other passengers to intervene, shouting at the man until he reluctantly complied by switching off his phone.
According to passengers on board, the situation escalated when the passenger told the flight purser, who had calmly asked him to switch off his device, that: “Wetin happen for Ibom Air go happen for here now now.”
The remark, referencing the recent Ibom Air incident involving unruly conduct and controversial sanctions, has reignited concerns over the weak enforcement of aviation regulations in Nigeria.
Olaleye Olawale, Deputy Editor of ThisDay, make a commentary that the episode was a direct consequence of what he described as a “poor reward and sanction system” in the country.
He argued that previous cases of misconduct in the aviation sector, including the handling of incidents involving popular figures like Fuji star Wasiu Ayinde Marshal (Kwam 1), had triggered others to flout safety rules without fear of serious repercussions.
“No serious nation tramples on its own laws or chooses when to enforce them or not and against whom,” he wrote.
He also stressed that the lack of firm consequences was creating “strong people instead of strong institutions” in Nigeria.
He warned that the aviation sector could continue to suffer reputational damage and face future safety risks if breaches of air safety protocols are not dealt with decisively.
