Passenger allegedly caught stealing N290,000 from foreigner aboard Ibom Air flight

A male passenger on an Ibom Air flight bound for Abuja from Lagos on Wednesday was accused of stealing the sum of N290,000 from the carry-on baggage of a foreigner.

A viral seven-second video shows the suspect being escorted off the aircraft by a hostess as other passengers stared at and passed remarks at him.

“That’s the thief,” one voice was heard saying in the clip, while another threatened to slap him.

Although neither Ibom Air nor the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has issued a statement as of press time, some officials of the airline at the Lagos airport confirmed the incident to PREMIUM TIMES.

Messages sent by PREMIUM TIMES to Ibom Air’s spokesperson, Aniekan Essienette, haven’t been replied.

“Yes, it is true,” an official of Ibom Air told PREMIUM TIMES, requesting anonymity as she is not authorised to speak on the matter.

How it happened

PREMIUM TIMES gathered that the incident occurred around 7:00 a.m. while boarding the airline’s first Lagos–Abuja flight on Wednesday.

Sources at Murtala Muhammed International Airport said the foreigner raised the alarm on realising that his money had disappeared from a bag placed in the overhead compartment above his seat.

Another observant passenger reportedly informed the cabin crew that he saw the suspect handling the foreigner’s bag shortly before the complaint.

The accused was reported to have initially denied involvement before a search revealed the missing cash under his seat.

One of the passengers, Chioma Ifeanyi-Eze, who was on the flight, recounted the episode on social media.

“We caught a thief on the plane today. The Oyibo man said his bag had been moved, and his N290,000 was gone. Another passenger confirmed she saw the suspect with the bag.

They searched him, and the money was found under his seat,” she narrated.

Ms Ifeanyi-Eze described the suspect as visibly nervous, sweating heavily, adding that the incident delayed the flight for about 20 minutes.

Ibom Air officials told PREMIUM TIMES that the suspect was handed over to airport security after being deboarded.

Previous Incidents

This is not the first time a theft incident has been reported on the airline’s flights.

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In July 2023, a Nigerian passenger, David Ogeneochuko, was arrested in Lagos for allegedly stealing a laptop from another passenger’s bag on an Ibom Air flight QI300 to Abuja.

Airline officials said they have noticed that some individuals deliberately purchase flight tickets with the intention of stealing from other passengers.

“That is why we always advise passengers to place their luggage in overhead lockers close to them and monitor movement around their belongings,” an Ibom Air official said.