Keyamo speaks on Air Peace-Oshiomhole disputes at Lagos airport

The Minister of Aviation in Nigeria, Festus Keyamo, has instructed aviation agencies to investigate the ongoing dispute between the management of Air Peace and Nigerian Senator Adams Oshiomhole.

The Minister gave the directive on Friday in a statement posted on his official X page.

On Wednesday, PREMIUM TIMES reported that Air Peace criticised the disruptive behaviour exhibited by Mr Oshiomhole at the Lagos Airport which hindered flight operations for several minutes on Wednesday.

The airline claimed Mr Oshiomhole arrived at the terminal 1 axis (Zulu Hall) of the airport about 20 minutes late for the departure of the aircraft and was eventually prevented from boarding.

“Air Peace strongly condemns the unruly conduct of a prominent Nigerian politician who disrupted airport operations on the morning of Wednesday, June 11, 2025,” the airline said.

In reaction, Mr Oshiomhole expressed concerns regarding the actions of staff members at Air Peace who denied him boarding.

He said despite his prior completion of the online check-in process ahead of the scheduled flight departure, he was prevented from boarding while the staff allegedly sold tickets at inflated prices to passengers who could afford it.

The minister’s intervention came over 48 hours after the Lagos airport incident, and about 24 hours after this publication reported that the regulatory authorities had kept mum over the issue.

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Sources who spoke with PREMIUM TIMES argued that Mr Oshiomhole’s actions are in contravention of sections of Annexe 17 of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Act of 2022, Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations Act 17 and also violate relevant provisions of terrorism provisions acts.

The sources alleged that Mr Oshiomhole’s action of halting operations at the section of the airport, which prevented entry and exit of travelling passengers for several minutes, may have posed security threats to other passengers at the airport.

Directive

On Friday, Mr Keyamo said he has been in direct contact with both parties since the incident occurred.

“I also directed the aviation agencies to exercise restraint in jumping to conclusions in line with the time-honoured legal principle of ‘hear all sides’ before reaching judgment,” he said.

“Whilst appealing to both sides to halt the public accusations and counter-accusations, I am further directing the relevant aviation agencies to thoroughly look into the issue, collect all available evidence and revert to my office so we can deal with the issue in such a way as to guide future conducts in similar situations.”

Mr Oshiomhole is a former governor of Edo State who served two terms and is currently serving as the Senator representing Edo North Senatorial District. He is a chieftain of the ruling party, APC.

READ ALSO: Air Peace speaks on Oshiomhole’s extortion claim at Lagos Airport

In Nigeria, the aviation ministry, headed by the minister, Mr Keyamo, oversees the activities of the sector. Meanwhile, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), an agency under the ministry, is the primary aviation regulator in Nigeria.

Its responsibilities include regulation, safety oversight, economic regulation, certification and accident investigation in collaboration with the Nigeria Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB). The NCAA’s role is crucial in ensuring the safety, security, and economic sustainability of Nigeria’s aviation industry.