Hadi Sirika, Minister of aviation, has said that any passenger especially VIP who violates the airport law would be prosecuted. 

The Minister made this known on Thursday, July 16, during the President Task Force on COVID-19 briefing. 

Sirika noted that the punishment for unruly behaviour according to the law attracts a minimum of two months imprisonment. 

Sirika's reaction was in response to the allegations by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, against two Nigerian politicians, who violated the COVID-19 protocols at airports. 

FAAN had accused the former Governor of Zamfara State, Abdulaziz Yari and Governor of Adamawa, Ahmadu Fintiri, for refusing to comply with health protocols at the Aminu Kano Airport and Port Harcourt International Airport respectively. 

However, both politicians denied the allegations, saying they were not guilty of the offences. 

Speaking further, Sirika said that investigation is ongoing. 

Read Also: THE UK DOES NOT PAY HAZARD ALLOWANCE, MINISTER OF HEALTH WARNS NIGERIAN DOCTORS 

"If it is found that it was true we will do the needful and of it is found untrue, we would definitely apologize to these individuals," Sirika said. 

Meanwhile, on Thursday, Yari had demanded for a public apology from the airport authority, and also threatened to sue former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, who called him a 'goat'. 

The Minister of Aviation reiterated that "any passenger who becomes unruly at the airport terminal building or on-board a particular aircraft commits an offence."

Sirika said, “Fighting or other disorderly conduct on-board of an aircraft or in the terminal building which means in the vicinity of an airport or inside an aircraft and according to E part: unruly behaviour means disobedience of lawful instructions issued by the aircraft commander, which is the captain; or flight crew means any pilot; or flight engineer; cabin crew; cabin attendants, check-in staff; and all security screening staff; or any local staff on lawful duty at the airport.

“So if you refuse their instructions, you will be termed an unruly passenger.”

Quoting regulations provided by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the minister said: “an unruly passenger behaviour requires the punishment of criminal referral for imprisonment for not less than two months, so it can be 10 years”.

Read Also: NDDC CORRUPTION: I WILL GET TO THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM - PRESIDENT BUHARI 

“So if you are found to be an unruly passenger because you are a big man ‘VIP’, the simplest thing we could do is to refer you to the police and they must by law prosecute you regardless and it will be not less than two months.

He hereby advised the VIPs to maintain orderliness and comply with the authority's guidelines. 

“Please VIPs, show that you are a VIP by conducting yourself in the manner that you would want to be identified with.

“If you are caught, we have some videos on these unruly passengers who will investigate and the punishment will be not less than two months of being criminally liable by a court of law. We mean business we are very serious about this.”

He added that the sole responsibility of airports officials is to keep passengers and staff safe.