Passengers at Lagos’ Murtala Muhammed International Airport were left stranded early Wednesday after Senator Adams Oshiomhole, former Edo State Governor and current lawmaker representing Edo North, allegedly shut down the Zulu Terminal in a dramatic protest over a missed flight.
According to multiple airport sources, the senator arrived late for his 6:30 am Air Peace flight to Abuja at the General Aviation Terminal (GAT), only to find the aircraft had already departed. Instead of accepting the consequence of his lateness, Oshiomhole reportedly blocked the terminal entrance and refused to allow normal operations to continue.
“He missed the flight. That’s the simple truth. He wanted them to delay the flight for him, but Air Peace refused,” a source familiar with the situation disclosed.
Eyewitnesses say the lawmaker’s actions led to a tense stand-off with airport staff, who made repeated efforts to de-escalate the situation.
“Oshiomhole blocked the terminal entrance completely until the regional manager came to resolve the issue. The terminal manager made all attempts to resolve it, but Oshiomhole rebuffed everything so he could not resolve the issue,” a source said.
Air Peace, citing strict adherence to check-in policy, declined to accommodate the senator despite his protests.
The Zulu Terminal — one of two domestic wings at the GAT, alongside Alpha Hall — is a critical hub for flights to several major Nigerian cities, including Abuja, Benin, Enugu, and Port Harcourt.
Its disruption caused delays and frustration for other passengers, many of whom were unable to board on schedule.
“There was a management meeting called to beg Oshiomhole. He disrupted flights by shutting down the Zulu Terminal. The situation was so tense that a management meeting was hurriedly convened to plead with the senator to step aside so that operations could resume,” another airport official confirmed.
