NCAA Spokesperson Condemns Assault on Officers, Decries Aggressive Passenger Attitude to CPO
The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) Director, Public and Affairs and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu has stated that no air passenger has the right to attack any NCAA personnel.
He made the statement on his X handle while condemning the aggressive behaviour of one Mr. Ibok Maurice Ibok, a Royal Air Maroc passenger ,towards an NCAA Consumer Protection Officer (CPO) on 4th January, 2025.
He explained that Mr. Ibok created a scene because his bags did not arrive along with his flight.
According to Achimugu, the CPO distanced himself from Mr.Ibok and promised to attend to him until he was calm as he has been physically attacked by a passenger in the past.The NCAA spokesperson said an aviation agency staff ,a supposed Assistant General Manager (AGM) who was expected to resolve the issue, teamed up with the passenger.
Michael Achimugu affirmed that the Authority’s legal department will take up a case against Mr. Ibok while the AGM will be reported to his Managing-Director .
He also disclosed that Royal Air Maroc is one of the airlines which NCAA has initiated enforcement actions and the Authority will investigate the issue in order for appropriate action to be taken .
His words, “Earlier today, one Mr. Ibok Maurice Ibok, a passenger whose bags did not arrive via his Royal Air Maroc flight (short-landed baggage) became very aggressive and threatened an NCAA Consumer Protection Officer in Lagos.
“The officer, a victim of an unjustified physical attack in the past, distanced himself from the passenger who continued to scream at the top of his voice. The CPO maintained that he could not attend to the passenger until he agreed to calm down.
“Royal Air Maroc is one of the airlines against whom the NCAA has initiated enforcement actions. The Authority will therefore investigate today’s occurrences and take appropriate action based on its findings.
“The Honourable Minister of Aviation and the DG NCAA will not tolerate any assault on their staff. Passengers are urged to comply with Part 19 of the NCAA Regulations 2023. We remain committed to protecting the rights of all stakeholders.” he said.
