The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has disclosed that Chiamaka Don Ubani, the passenger involved in the recent Ibom Air incident, has been charged to court by the Nigeria police.

The charges stem from her actions that disrupted the departure of flight Q1528 from Uyo to Abuja on Wednesday, January 8, 2025.

Michael Achimugu, director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at NCAA, in a post on his X handle, said that Ubani faces two counts.

Count 1 accuses her of intentionally and maliciously preventing the aircraft’s door from closing, thereby obstructing the flight’s departure, an offence punishable under Section 436 of the Criminal Code, Cap 39, Volume 2, Laws of Akwa Ibom State.

Count 2 alleges that she constituted herself into a public nuisance by delaying the flight, causing inconvenience to passengers and the general public, an act punishable under Section 196(1)(f) of the Criminal Code.

Ubani was released on bail on Friday, January 10, 2025, and her court hearing at the Uyo Magistrate Court is scheduled for February 4, 2025.

Recall that the Ibom Air flight, scheduled to depart Uyo at 5:30 PM, wai disrupted when Ubani refused to allow the flight to proceed without her checked-in luggage.

Passengers had been informed during check-in that some luggage might arrive on subsequent flights due to weight restrictions, a condition to which Ubani reportedly agreed.

After noticing her bag was not loaded, Ubani angrily disembarked from the aircraft and refused to allow the flight to continue.

Despite interventions from airport security (FAAN AVSEC) and the pilot, she insisted on having her luggage loaded immediately, even blocking the aisle when asked to deboard.

The situation escalated, causing the flight’s cancellation as Uyo airport operates only during daylight hours. Among the 89 affected passengers were an infant and a chef en route to fulfill a professional commitment in Abuja.

The disruption resulted in significant losses for Ibom Air, which had to provide refreshments, transportation, and hotel accommodations for passengers stranded by the delay. The airline also faced challenges rescheduling flights and incurred millions of naira in costs.

Ubani claimed her actions were motivated by a previous experience in December 2024 when her luggage was delayed. However, NCAA clarified that the airline had delivered her luggage to her destination on that occasion.

The NCAA has reiterated its call for passengers to maintain decorum at airports and on flights, emphasising that unruly behavior will not be tolerated.