In an alarming incident on Thursday, at Obafemi Awolowo International Airport, formerly known as Port Harcourt International Airport, located at Omagwa, Igwurita, Rivers State, a traveler, identified as Miss Jennifer Orduson and her brother experienced an unsettling ordeal involving alleged mistreatment and physical violence by airport staff. The sequence of events began with a simple mistake in the traveler’s flight schedule but escalated into a confrontation that has sparked concerns over airport security protocols and staff conduct.
The Mistake and Initial Encounter
Miss Jennifer, discovered that her flight was scheduled for the following day. Unaware of this, she had already arrived at the airport accompanied by her brother, who drove her to the airport, and left after dropping her off. Upon realizing the error, she called her brother to return and assist with her luggage. Moments later, from her seat inside the airport, she spotted him entering through the departure gate. After some time passed without seeing him, she became concerned and called him.
A Confrontation Unfolds
Her brother informed her that airport staff were preventing him from entering, and advised her to come outside. Stepping out of the arrivals gate, she saw him standing with a group of people near the departure gate. When he did not respond to her calls, she approached the group and found herself in the middle of a heated argument. She apologized to those gathered and explained that he was her brother, managing to pull him away from the scene. It was only then that she noticed his injuries: his face was swollen, and there were visible signs of blood.
Allegations of Assault
Upon inquiring about the injuries, her brother revealed that he had been punched by Mr. E. Anuku, an airport staff member, during an argument. He explained that he was trying to assist his sister inside the airport, but the staff accused him of lying and assumed he was a Bolt driver, attempting to gain unauthorized access. Despite his explanations, he was physically assaulted.
Seeking Answers and Facing Intimidation
Determined to understand why her brother, an unarmed civilian, had been attacked, the traveler returned to the departure gate to question the staff. However, she received only vague excuses and no satisfactory explanations. She recorded a video of Mr. Anuku and the situation, which prompted a swift and aggressive response from the airport staff. They demanded she delete the video and attempted to detain her until the video evidence was clearly deleted. Amid the chaos, she and her brother managed to leave the airport premises.
A Call for Accountability
The use of physical violence against an unarmed individual and the subsequent attempt to intimidate a witness is deeply troubling. The traveler’s experience shows the need for clear guidelines and training for airport personnel to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future.
It is important that airport authorities investigate this incident thoroughly while ensuring accountable measures to protect passengers and visitors from similar experiences, should be priority. The safety and well-being of all individuals within airport premises must be upheld to maintain public trust.
