Over 100 passengers scheduled to fly from Abuja to Owerri were stranded at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport on Thursday following a bird strike on a United Nigeria Airlines aircraft, which led to the disruption of the flight.
The incident escalated into chaos as angry passengers damaged airline property, assaulted staff, and injured a Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) AVSEC officer.
Confirming the event, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) spokesperson Mike Achimugu said the airline failed to provide timely information to passengers, contributing to the unrest.
He added that the affected passengers have been rescheduled to fly to Owerri at 10 a.m. tomorrow and will receive a 15% discount on their next flight as compensation for the lack of timely communication.
Achimugu explained on X (formerly Twitter):
“To prevent further escalation at the Abuja airport’s domestic wing, my team and I intervened at the terminal to address over 100 passengers affected by the disruption. Our investigation confirmed that the flight was canceled due to a bird strike.”
“Some passengers reacted violently, destroying airline laptops, assaulting staff, and injuring a FAAN AVSEC officer. The airline has accepted responsibility for the lack of communication and offered compensation while rescheduling travel.”
He added that emails confirming the rescheduled flights were to be sent to passengers by 4 pm yesterday, emphasizing that NCAA will monitor the airline’s compliance until all affected passengers reach their destinations safely.
United Nigeria Airlines, in a separate statement, apologized for the disruption, explaining:
“Due to a bird strike on one of our aircraft, some flights across our network could not operate as scheduled.”
“In strict adherence to our safety standards, the affected aircraft has been withdrawn from service for a full inspection before returning to operation.”
