Air Peace Expresses Shock As Oshiomhole Disrupts Flight Operations

By Adesina Soyooye

The Senator hit the roof and allegedly went physical when told he has missed his flight

Nigeria’s flagship Carrier, Air Peace, has expressed shock and disappointment over the conduct of a high profile Nigerian who disrupted their flight Operations on Wednesday, June 11, 2025.

Even though the Airline in its statement mentioned no name, a viral video of the incident on Social Media identified the high profile Nigerian as Senator Adams Oshiomhole. For the records, Oshiomhole, a serving Senator, was a former National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress, a former two-term Governor of Edo State, and a former National President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, whose son is the Commissioner for Health, Edo State.

Trouble started Wednesday morning when Oshiomhole, booked on a 6.30am flight to Abuja, arrived late for his flight. He, allegedly, arrived at about 6.30 am, by which time the check-in counter had closed and the flight ready for departure.

So, he was told he had missed the flight; that the aircraft was already set to depart; that there was no way the flight’s departure would be altered; that the departure of over 100 passengers could not be disrupted because of one man. But Oshiomhole, it was reported, hit the roof. He felt insulted. So, decided to disrupt operations at the gate.

Reports said Oshiomhole blocked the gate, wouldn’t allow services to continue, and all entreaties and appeals fell on deaf ear.

No Air Peace Staff could appease him, not even their Manager, and not even after an emergency meeting was allegedly held to resolve the issue – which is that he has missed the flight; that he ought to have been at the airport, at least, an hour to departure time. Buy he wouldn’t have it. And, according to the airline, went physical with the airline staff.

In the viral video, an enraged Oshiomhole could be seen screaming at the almost quivering Airline staff and shocked passengers.

In a statement issued by the Airline, the Management decried the “unruly conduct by a prominent Nigerian politician.”

The statement dated June 11, 2025, said that the high profile individual arrived late for Flight P47120 bound for Abuja from Lagos.

Seeing that he has missed  the flight, he allegedly turned violent.

Said the Airline, this individual arrived at Terminal 1 (Zulu Hall) at approximately 6:10 am for a 6:30 am flight. But at that time, the boarding process has been completed and closed and the flight ready for departure.

In the statement, the airline said that the politician, when informed he had missed the flight, :physically assaulted staff members, forcefully barricaded the terminal entrance, and even sealed off the entry gate, obstructing other passengers from accessing the facility.”

This led to widespread disruption to airport operations and  multiple  flights were delayed.

According to Air Peace, to minimise more disruption of flights, said it was forced to activate an emergency operational plan to reroute affected passengers through an alternate terminal.

Airpeace: “We are deeply saddened that such a high-profile figure displayed conduct so unbecoming and disruptive to fellow passengers and our personnel.

“Air Peace maintains a zero-tolerance stance on violence or any form of aggression against our staff and passengers.

“No individual, no matter how influential, is above these values.”

It is not known if Oshiomhole eventually flew to Abuja on another scheduled Air Peace flight or another Airline. He has not issued any statement either to the troubling incident.