A Nigerian Navy officer, Lieutenant Adam Muhammad Yerima, has come under scrutiny for allegedly violating aviation security rules after attempting to board a commercial flight while carrying a pistol.
According to SaharaReporters, Yerima—who previously drew public attention for confronting the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike—reportedly accessed the boarding area at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, through the airport’s military wing. By doing so, he allegedly bypassed the standard security screening required of civilian passengers.
Sources said the officer proceeded towards a ValueJet Airlines aircraft while armed, an action that contravenes Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) regulations, which prohibit passengers from boarding commercial flights with firearms unless such weapons are properly declared and processed through approved security channels.
Airline security personnel reportedly detected the breach and stopped Yerima from boarding. The officer was said to have accused ValueJet of treating him with disrespect for enforcing the rules. After initial objections, he allegedly complied with the required screening and declaration procedures and was later allowed to board the flight.
The matter, however, did not end at the airport. SaharaReporters gathered that the Nigerian military subsequently issued a formal letter to ValueJet Airlines, accusing the carrier of disrespecting a serving officer and demanding an apology for preventing him from boarding with his weapon.
Aviation experts note that regulations mandate all passengers, regardless of rank or status, to undergo security screening before boarding commercial aircraft. Firearms, even when legally owned, must be handled under strict protocols.
Industry sources described the incident as part of a broader challenge at major airports, where some military personnel allegedly resist complying with civilian aviation procedures.
As of the time of filing this report, neither the Nigerian Navy nor Lieutenant Yerima had issued an official response. Yerima is widely known following his confrontation with Minister Wike at a land site in Abuja last year.
