Security officers at the General Tunde Idiagbon International Airport in Ilorin on Wednesday arrested a man who attempted to hide inside the tyre compartment of an Overland aircraft preparing for takeoff.
The incident happened around 3.02pm when the suspect, identified as Segun Martins, gained illegal access to the restricted area of the airport and crawled toward the aircraft as it was about to taxi for departure.
Airport sources said Martins believed the flight was heading to the United States and tried to escape by hiding inside the tyre section of the plane.
Police officers stationed at the airport moved in immediately after he was seen near the aircraft and arrested him on the spot. He was later handed over to the Kwara State Police Command for further questioning.
According to airport officials, Martins is now assisting investigators with information on how he gained access to the airside.
The spokesperson for the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, Michael Achimugu, confirmed the incident in a post on his X handle on Wednesday night.
Achimugu wrote, “At approximately 1502 hours, a male, identified as Segun Martins, gained unauthorized access to the foot of an Overland aircraft that was about taxi for takeoff and attempted to conceal himself between the aircraft tyres.”
He added, “Ground security apprehended the individual. He was immediately handed over to the Airport Police for further investigation.”
Achimugu also noted that a full investigation was ongoing to determine whether the suspect acted alone and how he breached airport security.
