Flight crew of Nigeria’s major carrier, Arik Air, were vindicated over constant allegations of stealing passengers money and other valuables, when a passenger was caught stealing another passenger’s N200,000 cash at the weekend.
The male passenger, who was seated in the business class cabin with his victim on flight W3 162 ABV- LOS, Abuja to Lagos, was said to have ransacked his neighbour’s bag on seat 3C and taken the N200,000, during which process he was sighted by another passenger, who immediately asked the victim to check his bag.
The other passenger (victim) quickly checked his bag and found out the sum was missing and he reported to the head of the cabin crew who alerted the captain of the flight.
THISDAY gathered that upon landing the plane at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, the captain called the aviation security officials of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) who promptly arrested the suspect and the owner of the money and took both of them away.
Aviation security later transferred the suspect, the owner of the money, and the exhibit to the domestic wing police station of the airport for further investigation and possible prosecution.
Confirming the incident, a senior security official of FAAN explained that the authority was briefed about the incident and that the matter was taken to the police to handle. “Yes, I got the report that our men arrested the suspect and with his exhibit he was handed over to the police,” the official said.
However, when THISDAY visited the domestic airport police station, the Divisional Police Officer, Fidelia Victor, confirmed the incident but said that she did not have the details, promising that she would have more information to give when she has been briefed.
Another Arik Air source told THISDAY that such incidents were not rare and whenever they happened the cabin crew would be accused by the passengers.
“But this shows that there are passengers whose intention is to come and rob others in the aircraft. This is surprising and to think of the fact that he was in the business class cabin adds to the surprise,” the source added.
THISDAY also learnt that the suspect who was caught in the act did not deny nor resist arrest, but obediently followed the aviation security officials that consequently took him to the police.
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