Police Seize Five Air Peace Buses After Lagos Airport Runway Disruption
The number of Air Peace buses taken into police custody for investigation following a recent incident that disrupted vehicular movement within a restricted area of the Lagos airport has increased from three to five.
Sources who spoke to IROYIN YORUBA confirmed that the five buses currently under police custody have the following registration numbers: AJJ 589EX, KTU 440EZ, AAA 831F, KTU 85FH and EPE 656HF.
The development followed an incident in which individuals suspected to be employees of Air Peace allegedly drove the buses into a sensitive area of the Lagos airport, causing an obstruction that affected airport operations and the movement of aircraft.
Number of Buses Increases From Three to Five
IROYIN YORUBA had earlier reported that three Air Peace buses were towed to a police facility by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) after they were found parked in an area where they could interfere with airport operations.
Although the police initially confirmed that three buses had been taken away, further findings by IROYIN YORUBA revealed that the number had risen to five.
The five vehicles are now being held by the police as part of an ongoing investigation into the circumstances surrounding their presence in the restricted airport area.
Speaking to IROYIN YORUBA, the spokesperson for the airport police command, Muhammed Adeola, confirmed that five Air Peace buses were currently under police custody.
Adeola explained that the police had contacted Air Peace as part of the investigation and requested that the airline produce the drivers who took the buses into the sensitive area of the airport.
Air Peace Suspects Sabotage
According to the police spokesperson, Air Peace has, however, raised the possibility that the incident may have been carried out by individuals who were not genuine employees of the company.
The airline reportedly told the police that it suspected that some people may have deliberately used the buses in an attempt to disrupt its operations or damage the company's reputation.
Air Peace subsequently promised to conduct its own internal investigation to determine who drove the buses and how they ended up in the restricted area.
However, as of the time of reporting, the airline had not submitted the outcome of its investigation to the police.
Adeola said the buses would remain in police custody until Air Peace provides the drivers involved in the incident.
He said:
“Yes, what you said is correct. There are five buses in our compound. When we began the investigation, we met with Air Peace and expected them to bring the drivers to us. But they told us that they believed some people who wanted to disrupt their operations might have driven the buses.
“They promised to conduct an investigation within the company and hand over to us whoever is found to have driven the buses. Until that happens, the buses will remain in our custody because we have to identify those who attempted to disrupt airport operations.”
Incident Linked to Labour Dispute With Air Peace
The airport disruption occurred amid an industrial dispute involving Air Peace and aviation sector workers.
The labour unions had embarked on industrial action over allegations that Air Peace had failed to remit five per cent of its ticket sales revenue to the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) as required under aviation regulations.
The dispute resulted in disruptions to Air Peace operations at the Lagos and Abuja airports, leaving many passengers affected and forcing some travellers to make alternative arrangements for their journeys.
The unions accused Air Peace of being among the airlines with significant outstanding obligations relating to the required payment.
Unions Had Issued Multiple Warnings
Before the industrial action, the aviation unions reportedly issued a series of warnings to affected airlines.
The unions said they had issued three stages of warnings and threatened industrial action against airlines they believed had failed to remit the required five per cent Ticket Sales Charge (TSC) to the NCAA.
According to the unions, the warnings were intended to give the affected companies sufficient opportunity to address the outstanding issues before stronger measures were taken.
The labour organisations also raised concerns about alleged restrictions on workers' ability to join trade unions in some domestic airlines.
They claimed that some airline employees were reluctant to participate in union activities because of fears that they could face discrimination, victimisation or other consequences from their employers.
Unions Say Action Was a Warning
Despite the disruption caused by the industrial action, the unions described their move as a warning intended to compel affected airlines to resolve the issues.
They maintained that the airlines had been given several weeks to address the concerns before the unions proceeded with their action.
The dispute therefore involves both the financial obligations of airlines to the aviation regulator and broader labour-related concerns raised by aviation workers.
The latest incident involving the Air Peace buses has now added another dimension to the dispute, with the police investigating how the vehicles came to be positioned in an area of the Lagos airport where their presence could interfere with airport operations.
Police Await Air Peace Investigation
For now, the five Air Peace buses remain under police custody while investigators await further information from the airline.
The police are particularly interested in identifying the individuals who drove the buses into the restricted area and determining whether they were authorised to do so.
The outcome of the investigation could help establish whether the incident resulted from an operational mistake, unauthorised action by employees or an intentional attempt by individuals to disrupt Air Peace's activities.
Air Peace's internal investigation is therefore expected to be important in determining what happened and who was responsible.
Air Peace Yet to Comment Directly
Efforts by IROYIN YORUBA to obtain a direct response from Air Peace were unsuccessful.
The airline's spokesperson, Efe Osifo-Whiskey, did not respond to questions concerning the police investigation, the five buses or the allegation that individuals who were not genuine employees could have been responsible for the incident.
As a result, the police account and the information attributed to the airline's internal position remain the main details available concerning the incident.
The investigation is expected to continue as authorities seek to establish the circumstances surrounding the movement of the buses and determine whether anyone should face further action.
Five Buses Now in Police Custody
The development means that five Air Peace buses, rather than the three initially reported, are currently being held by the police in connection with the Lagos airport incident.
The case comes at a sensitive time for the airline, following the industrial dispute over its alleged obligations to the NCAA and the wider concerns raised by aviation labour unions.
For passengers and other stakeholders, attention will now be focused on the outcome of the police investigation, the internal inquiry by Air Peace and whether the parties involved can resolve the wider dispute without further disruption to air travel in Nigeria.
The police have confirmed that five Air Peace buses are currently in their custody, while investigators await the airline's findings and the identification of the drivers involved.