The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority has escalated an incident involving a passenger who reportedly began bleeding after spending about 50 minutes aboard an aircraft without functioning air conditioning.
It was reported that the incident occurred before an Abuja-Calabar flight took off, prompting the regulator to investigate the circumstances surrounding the delay and how the passenger was treated.
The passenger, Bashir Usman, and the NCAA shared their accounts of the incident on X on Tuesday. However, neither disclosed the airline involved.
Usman, who shared his experience on X through his handle, @Senatorbash, said passengers were left inside the aircraft for nearly 50 minutes after the doors had been closed, without the engines running or the air conditioning functioning.
“The heat became unbearable, and I eventually started bleeding,” Usman said.
Cabin crew members subsequently approached him and informed him that he would have to disembark due to the bleeding, apparently to prevent a medical emergency during the flight.
He said, “When the crew approached me and said I would have to be disembarked because of the bleeding, ostensibly to avoid a medical emergency onboard, I repeatedly told them I was fine.”
Usman said fellow passengers also raised concerns about the conditions inside the aircraft and rallied around him as his condition attracted attention.
“Many of you spoke up, expressed your displeasure over the unbearable heat and lack of ventilation, and showed genuine concern for my wellbeing,” he said.
Describing the support he received, Usman said some passengers took turns fanning him, while a female passenger offered him her personal mini hand fan.
“Your support meant so much to me. Following your intervention, I was allowed to remain onboard,” he said.
The aircraft eventually arrived in Calabar at 2:04 pm. Usman described the experience as particularly distressing, citing the prolonged wait in the heat and the fact that the flight was scheduled to last about 45 minutes.
He expressed appreciation to the passengers who raised concerns, offered assistance and showed empathy, describing their actions as a reminder of the power of human compassion.
He added, “We boarded as strangers, but you reminded me that humanity, compassion and solidarity are still very much alive among us.
“I may not know your names, but I will never forget your kindness. We shared a difficult flight, but you gave me a beautiful reminder of the goodness of humanity.”
Usman also prayed for the woman who gave him her fan and the other passengers who supported him, expressing hope that they would receive similar kindness whenever they needed help.
Reacting to the incident, NCAA spokesperson Michael Achimugu said he had spoken with Usman by telephone to express sympathy over his experience, adding that he was glad the passenger was recovering well.
He stated, “Again, I empathise with you over the experience that led to your bleeding. I am glad that you are okay now.”
Achimugu also said Usman had explained that the heat triggered the condition, which he had experienced since childhood.
However, the NCAA spokesperson defended the cabin crew’s response, saying they were obligated to follow safety procedures as they could not have immediately determined the cause of the bleeding.
“From cabin crew perspective, they were following due process and ensuring the safety of the passengers who thought they were heroes by stopping cabin crew from doing their job,” he said.
Achimugu explained that while Usman understood what had triggered his condition, the cabin crew lacked the same information and had to consider the possibility that he needed urgent medical attention.
“You knew it was heat stroke. They did not know that. You may have needed immediate medical attention, and the difference between life and death might have been the little time that the others spent preventing airline personnel from doing their job,” he said.
He added that cabin crew members were expected to remain vigilant, particularly amid recent concerns over Ebola, stressing that their primary responsibility was to ensure the safety of everyone on board.
“They were doing their job,” he said.
Despite defending the crew’s response, Achimugu said the NCAA would refer the incident to its Directorate of Operations, Licensing and Training Standards for further investigation.
