Senator Adams Oshiomhole, former governor of Edo State and current senator representing Edo North, was at the centre of a dramatic disruption at the Zulu Terminal of the General Aviation Terminal (GAT) at Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) on Wednesday, after arriving late for his scheduled Air Peace flight to Abuja.
Okay.ng gathered from credible airport sources that Oshiomhole, who was booked on Air Peace Flight P47120 departing at 6:30 a.m., arrived at the terminal at approximately 6:10 a.m., after boarding had already closed in accordance with the airline’s on-time departure policy.
Rather than accept the consequences of his lateness, the senator reportedly reacted by blocking the terminal’s entrance, leaving dozens of passengers stranded. Eyewitnesses say he refused to move, despite repeated pleas from the terminal manager, causing a gridlock that halted airport activities.
Airport officials described the lawmaker’s behaviour as obstinate, stating that a management meeting was hurriedly convened to de-escalate the tension and restore operations. The intervention of the regional manager was required to eventually pacify the senator and allow normalcy to return.
Air Peace, in a strongly worded statement issued hours later, condemned the “unruly conduct” of the unnamed politician, which it said amounted to violence and obstruction.
“Upon being informed of the missed flight, the politician resorted to violence, physically assaulting our staff and forcefully barricading the terminal’s entrance,” the airline said. “He went as far as sealing the entry gate and manning the access point, effectively obstructing other passengers from gaining entry.”
The airline noted that the situation disrupted multiple operations, affecting passengers on various flights. It said a contingency plan was immediately activated, with affected travelers rerouted through an alternate terminal.
“We are deeply saddened that such a high-profile figure displayed conduct so unbecoming and disruptive to fellow passengers and our personnel,” the statement continued. “Air Peace maintains a zero-tolerance stance on violence or any form of aggression against our staff and passengers.”
The airline urged all travelers to respect aviation timelines and protocols, stressing that no individual, regardless of their status, is above due process.
As of the time of this report, Oshiomhole has not publicly commented on the incident.
