By Dickson Omobola
Some aviation unions have petitioned the National Security Adviser, NSA, demanding an investigation into an alleged runway and taxiway invasion involving the country’s largest carrier, Air Peace, during the picketing of the airline on August 11, 2026.
Meanwhile, a source close to the airline told Vanguard that it did not invade the runway or taxiway.
The source said: “No, it did not happen. Also, there is no reaction from us yet.”
However, the unions, Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, ATSSSAN, National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers, NAAPE, and National Union of Air Transport Employees, NUATE, urged the NSA to initiate a discreet forensic investigation into the incident and ensure that everyone found responsible, including those who authorised the deployment of buses, was arrested and prosecuted in accordance with the Terrorism Act and the Civil Aviation Act.
They also called on the NSA to direct the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, to preserve and release all closed-circuit television footage, air traffic control voice recordings and airside vehicle logs relating to the incident.
General Secretary of ATSSSAN, Frances Akinjole; Deputy General Secretary of NAAPE, Umoh Ofonime; and General Secretary of NUATE, Paul Igene, copied the petition to the Inspector-General of Police, the Director-General of the Department of State Services, DSS, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, and the Director-General of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA.
The petition reads: “We, the above-named aviation trade unions, respectfully bring to your esteemed office a grave and unprecedented breach of national aviation security that occurred on August 11, 2026, at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos.
“The joint unions issued the required lawful notices of picketing against 16 domestic airlines, most of which are members of the Airline Operators of Nigeria, AON, operating in Nigeria for two grievous infractions:
“Flagrant refusal and obstruction of the unionisation of their employees, in direct violation of Section 40 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), Section 9 of the Labour Act, the Trade Unions Act, and ILO Conventions 87 and 98, ratified by Nigeria.
“Wilful and persistent refusal to remit the Ticket Sales Charge (TSC) already collected from passengers. The TSC is a statutory charge meant to be shared among aviation agencies (NCAA, NAMA, NiMet, NSIB and NCAT) for safety oversight, training and the proper functioning of the sector.
“A more debilitating assault on the psyche of agency workers, who are our union members, is that the non-remittance of the TSC has rendered the implementation of the various duly negotiated collective bargaining agreements of the agencies nugatory, and agitated staff were becoming uncontrollable. This was seen as an accident waiting to happen.
“To avoid a total shutdown of Nigerian airspace at once and in the interest of the travelling public, the joint unions strategically resolved to picket the defaulting airlines sequentially, one after the other, each day. Air Peace Airlines was scheduled for August 11, 2026.
“The picketing was peaceful, lawful and conducted at the airline’s operational office/counter area, not on the airside. During the barricades, staff of Air Peace also became physically violent against unarmed union members performing their lawful trade union duties. They incited passengers against the union members, but the unions conducted themselves decorously, remaining unprovoked and undeterred.
“The action was, however, suspended on the afternoon of the first day following the welcome intervention of the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development and the security agencies at the airport.
“In reaction to the lawful picketing, Air Peace Airlines became frustrated that other defaulting airlines were allowed to operate that day. In a reckless and dangerous act of self-help and sabotage, the management and staff of Air Peace Airlines mobilised five of its branded buses and deliberately drove them onto and parked them across the taxiway and manoeuvring area of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, with the clear intent to block all aircraft movement, prevent other airlines from operating and possibly cause an accident.
“This incursion shut down all flight operations from Lagos for hours, endangered the lives of passengers, crew and airport workers, exposed the airport to the risk of a catastrophic aircraft collision, and violated sterile airside security protocols.
“This act transcends a labour dispute. It constitutes an act of terrorism under Section 2(3)(d) and (f) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, involving the wilful obstruction, sabotage and interference with critical national infrastructure and aviation facilities.
“It is also a violation of the Civil Aviation Act, 2022, Part XIX, involving unlawful interference with aviation, trespass on the manoeuvring area and endangerment of aircraft.
“It poses a threat to International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) safety and security standards, to which Nigeria is a signatory, bringing Nigeria into international ridicule and exposing the country to a potential Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) category downgrade.
“If left unchecked, this dangerous precedent would empower any aggrieved airline to seize a runway and hold the entire nation to ransom. In the interest of national integrity, aviation safety and sovereignty, we most respectfully pray the National Security Adviser to:
“Immediately cause a discreet and thorough forensic investigation into the runway/taxiway invasion of August 11, 2026, by a joint security team led by your office and involving the DSS, NCAA AVSEC and FAAN AVSEC. Identify, arrest and prosecute all persons found culpable, including those who authorised the deployment of the five buses, in accordance with the Terrorism Act and the Civil Aviation Act.
“Direct FAAN to preserve and release all CCTV footage, ATC voice recordings and airside vehicle logs from that day.
“Direct the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to impose severe sanctions on Air Peace Airlines for bringing the aviation sector into ridicule and endangering public safety.
“Compel the relevant regulatory authorities to enforce compliance with the remittance of the Ticket Sales Charge (TSC) and strict adherence to labour laws guaranteeing the right to unionisation across all domestic airlines.
“Ensure the protection of union members and aviation agency staff who are now targets of intimidation for performing their lawful duties. We have absolute confidence in your office as the custodian of national security and assure you of our cooperation. However, it is our utmost expectation that this matter will be given the prompt attention it deserves without delay.”
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