Aviation Unions In Nigeria Petition NSA Over August 11 Flight Disruption

The Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) and National Association of Aircraft Pilots & Engineers (NAAPE) have written a letter to the National Security Adviser (NSA) requesting that he immediately, causes “a discreet and thorough forensic investigation into the runway/taxiway invasion of 11th August 2026 by a Joint Security Team led by your office, involving DSS, NCAA AVSEC, and FAAN AVSEC; identify, arrest and prosecute all persons culpable, including those who authorized the deployment of the five buses, in accordance with the Terrorism Act and Civil Aviation Act; direct FAAN to preserve and release all CCTV, ATC voice recordings and airside vehicle logs of that day; direct the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to invoke severe sanctions against Air Peace Airlines for bringing the aviation sector to ridicule and endangering public safety and compel the relevant regulatory authorities to enforce compliance regarding the remittance of the Ticket Sales Charge (TSC) and the strict adherence to labour laws guaranteeing the right to unionization across all domestic airlines. Ensure protection for Union members and aviation agency staff who are now targets of intimidation for performing lawful duties.”

The letter which copied the Inspector General of Police, Director General, Department of State Services (DSS), Hon. Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development and       Director General, Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) was jointly signed by ATSSSAN General Secretary, Comrade Frances Akinjole, NUATE General Secretary, Comrade Igene P. J. A and NAAPE Deputy General Secretary, Comrade Umoh Ofonime says the letter is to bring the NSA attention of the NSA’s office “a grave and unprecedented breach of national aviation security that occurred on 11th August 2026 at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos.”

“The Joint Unions issued required lawful notices of picketing against sixteen (16) domestic airlines (most of who are members of the Airline Operators of Nigeria – AON) operating in Nigeria for two grievous infractions: Flagrant refusal and obstruction of unionization 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, Trade Unions Act, and ILO Conventions 87 and 98, ratified by Nigeria” and “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, trainings, and proper functioning of the sector. More debilitating assault upon the psyche of agencies’ workers (our union members) is that the non-remittance of the TSC has rendered implementation of the various duly negotiated Collective Bargaining Agreements of the agencies nugatory and agitated staff, were becoming uncontrollable.  This was seen as accident in the waiting.

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. The Air Peace Airlines was scheduled for Day One – 11th August 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 by remaining unprovoked and undeterred.

The action was, however, suspended on day one afternoon due to the glorious intervention of the Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development and the Security Agencies in the Airport.”

The letter further alleges that 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 mobilized FIVE (5) 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 to cause accident.”

This incursion the unions allege, shut down all flight operations from Lagos for hours, endangered the lives of passengers, crew and airport workers, exposed the airport to 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), (f) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 – wilful obstruction, sabotage and interference with critical national infrastructure and aviation facilities.

a) b) A Violation of the Civil Aviation Act 2022, Part XIX – unlawful interference with aviation, trespass on manoeuvring area and endangerment of aircraft.

a) c) A Threat to ICAO Safety and Security Standards to which Nigeria is a signatory, bringing Nigeria to international ridicule and potential FAA Category downgrade.

a) d) If left unchecked, this dangerous precedent would empower any aggrieved airline to seize a runway and hold the entire nation to ransom.”

The unions say this petition is “in the interest of national integrity, aviation safety and sovereignty” and that they “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 shall be given the promptness it deserves without any delay.”