The Nigeria Police Force, Airport Command, has arrested two passengers who allegedly smoked cigarettes aboard an Air Peace flight from South Africa to Lagos, an act that triggered the aircraft’s smoke detection and emergency alarm system and caused panic among passengers and crew members.

The suspects, identified as 51-year-old Enaruna Prince Aghama and 43-year-old Tony Ajayi, were handed over to the International Airport Police Division by Aviation Security (AVSEC) personnel after the Air Peace flight landed at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos, for further investigation.

A statement by the command said the incident occurred at about 7:44 p.m. on July 9, 2026, while the Air Peace aircraft was travelling from South Africa to Lagos.

According to initial investigations, the two suspects allegedly lit and smoked cigarettes inside the aircraft, an action that activated the aircraft’s smoke detection and emergency alarm system, causing panic and anxiety among passengers and members of the cabin crew.

The investigation also revealed that the suspects were in possession of an alcoholic beverage and allegedly became uncooperative and verbally aggressive when cabin crew members attempted to calm the situation and enforce the airline’s safety regulations.

The police said their actions further disrupted the orderly operation of the flight.

Reacting to the incident, the Commissioner of Police, Airport Command, CP Ogunbode Olufunke, Mnips, PhD, condemned the conduct of the suspects, describing any action capable of threatening aviation safety or disrupting the smooth operation of an aircraft as unacceptable.

“The Airport Police Command remains committed to the strict enforcement of aviation security laws and the protection of the lives of passengers, crew members, and all airport users, in line with the provisions of the relevant aviation regulations and the FAAN By-Laws,” she said.  

The police commissioner also appealed to air travellers to obey all lawful instructions issued by airline operators and aviation personnel.

She stressed that maintaining discipline and orderly conduct on board an aircraft is a shared responsibility that is essential to ensuring safe air travel.

The Airport Police Command said the two suspects will be arraigned before a court of competent jurisdiction after investigations are concluded.

Troops of Sector 3, Joint Task Force North East, Operation HADIN KAI, OPHK, have intercepted a suspected foreign terrorist drug courier conveying a large consignment of illicit drugs, alcoholic beverages and other prohibited substances.

The army, in a statement posted on X on Friday, stated that the operation occurred on Thursday, noting that the items were believed to be destined for terrorist elements operating within the Lake Chad Islands.

According to the army, the operation was carried out during intensive search operations along the Maiduguri–Monguno axis, where troops intercepted a suspicious vehicle travelling towards Kwatan Doron Baga in Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State. 

It reiterated that the suspect, Mrs Rachael Samuel, 48, a Chadian national, was arrested while conveying the prohibited items, stating that preliminary findings indicate that the recovered substances were being moved to locations within the Lake Chad Islands, an area known to harbour terrorist elements.

“Items recovered from the suspect include seven compressed bundles of suspected Cannabis sativa weighing approximately 30 kilogrammes, two 10-litre containers of hydromercuric chloride, popularly known as “Suck and Die,” one carton containing 48 bottles of dry gin, 61 bottles of herbal alcoholic beverages all with a market street value approximately running into millions of Naira. 

“Other items recovered include, one mobile phone, two Automated Teller Machines, ATM, cards, personal effects and cash. The suspect is currently in military custody, while all recovered exhibits have been secured pending handover to the appropriate law enforcement agency for further investigation and prosecution in accordance with extant laws,” the statement said.

The Oyo State Police Command has arrested two suspects over the unlawful possession of an item suspected to be a human skull following a joint operation in Ijio, Oyo State.

The development was disclosed in a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer of the command, DSP Ayanlade Olayinka, on July 9, 2026.

According to the statement, the arrests followed credible intelligence about a person allegedly in possession of an item suspected to be a human skull. 

Acting on the information, the Commissioner of Police, Abimbola Ayodeji Olugbenga, directed a joint operation involving police operatives and the Oyo State Security Network Agency, Amotekun Corps.

During the operation, one Shittu Isah of Kajola Area, Ijio, was arrested, while the suspected human skull was recovered and secured as an exhibit.

“During interrogation, Shittu Isah confessed to having exhumed the suspected human skull from a Muslim burial ground in Ijio. He further confessed that he did not act alone, a development that led to the arrest of one Tunde Ajibade, who is currently assisting the police with ongoing investigations,” the statement read.

The police said the recovered exhibit has been preserved for forensic examination to determine its nature, while investigations are ongoing to establish the motive behind the act and identify any other persons who may have been involved.

The command reaffirmed its commitment to protecting lives and property and urged residents to continue providing timely and credible information to security agencies to support efforts aimed at preventing crime across the state.