UYO, Nigeria – A suspect identified as Ogeneochuko David was apprehended on Tuesday, July 25, 2023, on Ibom Air’s Lagos-to-Abuja flight for allegedly stealing a laptop from a fellow passenger’s bag in the overhead cabin.
Aniekan Essienette, Ibom Air’s General Manager of Marketing and Communications, released a statement in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, detailing the incident which occurred on Flight Q1300.
Essienette explained that the laptop owner became suspicious due to David’s movements aboard the aircraft. Upon checking his bag and finding his laptop missing, he immediately alerted the cabin crew.
“A search was immediately instituted, which led to about a half-hour delay, and the laptop was found with Mr David,” the statement read.
“The suspect was promptly removed from the flight and handed over to the Federal Airport Authority, FAAN, Aviation Security (AVSEC) for further investigation. AVSEC subsequently passed David on to the police.
“The police have since confirmed that the suspect is a member of a large syndicate specializing in stealing onboard aircraft,” Essienette added.
The airline official also referenced past incidents involving airborne crime.
She recalled the case of Kingsley Chinsunum, who allegedly stole N100,000 from a wallet stowed in a bag in the overhead cabin, and an attempted fraudulent act by Mr Adebayi Adelugba.
Adelugba faked the theft of his checked-in bag, intending to declare it missing and sue the airline for negligence but was caught on CCTV footage.
Essienette reiterated the airline’s firm stance on crime, warning, “In line with our corporate policy, Ibom Air has zero tolerance for this sort of criminal activity on board our flights and will prosecute any offenders to the full extent of the law.”
Emirates Restores Flight Operations To Lagos
Emirates Airlines has restored its flight operations to Nigeria’s commercial capital of Lagos.
The company announced this in emails sent to its customers.
The email send on Wednesday, August 31, 2022, reads, “We are pleased to inform you that effective from 11th September 2022, we will reinstate operations of our flights.
“Inbound flights from Dubai to Lagos (EK783) and outbound flights from Lagos to Dubai (EK784) will recommence from Sunday, 11th September 2022.
“Lagos flights after 30th September 2022 will be advised in due course.”
Wednesday’s reinstatement came two weeks after the United Arab Emirates, UAE, carrier suspended flight operations, citing its inability to repatriate its earnings in foreign exchange from Nigeria.
“We have had no choice but to take this action, to mitigate the continued losses Emirates is experiencing as a result of funds being blocked in Nigeria,” the airlines said in a letter addressed to the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika.
“As of July 2022, Emirates has US$85 million of funds awaiting repatriation from Nigeria. This figure has been rising by more than $US10 million every month, as the ongoing operational costs of our 11 weekly flights to Lagos and 5 to Abuja continue to accumulate.”
The Emirates’ move followed concerns raised by the International Air Transportation Association, IATA, over the issue. IATA had said foreign airlines’ funds trapped in Nigeria rose from $450 million in May to $464 million in July.
While the Federal Government said Nigeria was having a forex exchange crisis and thus could not meet some responsibilities, including revenue repatriation by foreign airlines, it later bowed to pressure and released $265 million to the airlines.
The IATA lauded the step, noting that it would boost foreign airlines’ to continue their service in Nigeria.
