By Esther Ososanya
Following last week’s confrontation between Ibom Air passenger Comfort Emmanson and flight crew at Lagos Airport, aviation authorities have vowed to tighten safety enforcement across Nigerian airports.
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) announced on Tuesday that mobile phones and other devices must be completely switched off during critical phases of flight. The directive, issued at an Emergency National Civil Aviation Security Committee and stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja, also banned the use of “flight mode” on domestic flights.
NCAA Director-General, Capt. Chris Najomo, ordered all Nigerian carriers to amend their operations manuals to reflect the new requirement and submit them for approval. He stressed that it remains the duty of flight crew to issue safety instructions, and the responsibility of passengers to comply.
Zero tolerance for unruly behaviour
“Unruly behaviour in this industry will no longer be tolerated,” Najomo warned. “Henceforth, things won’t be business as usual. If you are unruly, you are unruly. From category one to category four, we will take care of it.”
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According to him, the measures aim to close safety gaps exposed by recent incidents.
The authority will analyse failures,technological, procedural, and human that allowed such occurrences. Strengthen coordination between NCAA, FAAN, AVSEC, security services, and law enforcement. Deploy corrective measures to secure airport infrastructure and enforce strict compliance by both personnel and passengers.
The NCAA further directed aviation security personnel to step up enforcement, citing a growing number of poorly handled confrontations between airline staff and passengers. Authorities say the crackdown underscores Nigeria’s zero-tolerance stance against indiscipline and safety violations in the aviation sector.
Esther Ososanya is an investigative journalist with Pinnacle Daily, reporting across health, business, environment, metro, Fct and crime. Known for her bold, empathetic storytelling, she uncovers hidden truths, challenges broken systems, and gives voice to overlooked Nigerians. Her work drives national conversations and demands accountability one powerful story at a time.
