A HEATED altercation between two adult sisters threw the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, into chaos on Sunday after the duo missed their scheduled United Airlines flight and descended into a violent brawl.
News Point Nigeria reports that the two sisters, who had both booked seats on the same flight, arrived at the terminal shortly after the boarding gate had closed. Frustrated by their inability to board, they began arguing over who was to blame for the delay.
“What started as a mild exchange of words quickly turned into a fierce fight,” an airport staff member recounted. “They were shouting, pulling hair, and throwing punches while passengers looked on in shock.”
Their luggage and personal items were scattered across the departure hall as the quarrel escalated, causing a major scene that disrupted airport activities.
Security personnel from the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and the Aviation Security (AVSEC) division swiftly intervened, separating the sisters and escorting them to the interrogation office for questioning.
However, calm was short-lived. Inside the office, the sisters reportedly resumed their fight, ignoring pleas from officials to settle down. In the process, one of them suddenly slumped and lost consciousness, sparking panic among security and medical personnel.
An ambulance was immediately requested to transport the unconscious woman to a hospital, but her conscious sibling objected, insisting that the problem was “spiritual” rather than medical.
Despite her refusal, the fainted sister was eventually moved to the FAAN Clinic, where she is said to be receiving medical attention. Her condition remained unknown as of press time.
Confirming the incident in a post on his X (formerly Twitter) account, Michael Achimugu, spokesperson of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), described the fight as “unfortunate” and “unbecoming,” calling for greater composure among air travelers.
“Perhaps one of them blamed her sibling for missing their flight, but these two began to fight, scattering luggage and other items before being dragged to the interrogation office,” Achimugu said.
“Inside, they began to fight again until one of them fainted. Calls were made for an ambulance, but her sister said the problem was more spiritual than medical and therefore did not need hospital attention. She’s currently at the FAAN clinic receiving care. Hopefully, she recovers. This is not how things should be.”
