The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority has ordered the arrest and prosecution of an Air Peace driver who allegedly drove a bus onto the airside of the Lagos airport and abandoned it during a labour protest against the airline on Tuesday.
The incident occurred as aviation unions commenced picketing of Air Peace over unresolved labour and regulatory issues.
The National Union of Air Transport Employees, Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria and National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers, backed by the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress, began the picketing in the early hours of Tuesday.
The unions had earlier issued a three-stage warning over their planned action against airlines accused of failing to remit the five per cent Ticket Sales Charge to the NCAA.
They also alleged that some domestic airlines had restricted workers from freely joining trade unions, claiming employees feared discrimination or victimisation.
The unions described the action as a measure of restraint, saying the affected airlines had been given several weeks to address their grievances.
The dispute also centres on the alleged non-remittance of the five per cent Ticket Sales Charge meant to fund aviation agencies.
While enforcing the picketing, an airport source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told our correspondent that the driver of the bus in question drove into the airside and left the vehicle there in protest against the picketing.
The source added that the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria had to tow the vehicle away to allow free movement within the airside.
Confirming the development, the NCAA spokesperson, Michael Achimugu, said the authority had ordered the identification and arrest of the driver for onward prosecution.
He said, “During the enforcement of the picketing, a driver drove the large bus to the runway, parked and left the place.
“We have ordered that the driver in question be identified and arrested for onward prosecution. How can somebody block the runway? That is seriously uncalled for. We’ll investigate, and the necessary portions of the Act will be invoked.”
However, when contacted for a reaction, Air Peace spokesperson, Efe Whiskey-Osifo, dismissed the allegation, saying the vehicle did not block the runway.
