United Nigeria Airlines has announced that it has accepted the public apologies issued by two passengers, Mr Martins Otse (VeryDarkMan) and Mr Freedom Atsepoyi (Mr Jollof), following their confrontation during the boarding of Flight UN0523 from Asaba International Airport to Lagos on 17 November 2025.
The incident, which took place last Monday morning, drew widespread public attention after a video of the altercation surfaced on social media. The brawl caused delays to the scheduled flight, leading to backlash from the travelling public and aviation stakeholders.
In a video posted on Instagram on Tuesday, Otse expressed regret over the disruption, saying he took “full responsibility” for the inconvenience caused to passengers. He acknowledged that the delay could have negatively affected individuals with medical, business or other critical engagements.
Atsepoyi also issued his own public apology via Instagram, extending his regrets to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), United Nigeria Airlines and fellow passengers. He stated that while he acted in self-defence, he recognised the impact of the confrontation and promised that such an incident would not happen again.
Responding to their apologies, United Nigeria Airlines released a statement on Thursday confirming that the airline had accepted their regret and commitment to improved conduct.
The airline stated:
“We take note of their commitments expressed via their respective social media platforms to refrain from any conduct that could compromise aviation safety, order, or decorum onboard United Nigeria Airlines flights or any other airline.”
United Nigeria Airlines also praised the coordinated intervention of aviation authorities, including NCAA, Airport Security (AVSEC), the Asaba International Airport Authority and its crew members, for handling the matter professionally and in line with safety procedures.
The airline reiterated its alignment with the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) and regulatory bodies in efforts to curb unruly passenger behaviour across the industry. It urged travellers to maintain full cooperation with airline and airport officials to ensure safety and order in Nigeria’s aviation sector.
