A UK-based Nigerian woman has accused an airport official at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos of demanding a bribe, causing her to miss her flight and threatening to plant drugs in her luggage if she continued recording the encounter.
The woman reportedly shared her experience in a video circulating on social media, claiming that the confrontation began after she refused to pay the alleged bribe.
According to her account, the situation escalated when she began documenting the incident. She alleged that the official threatened to implicate her in a drug-related offence by placing illicit substances in her luggage and calling operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to arrest her.
“The Nigerian airport staff made me miss my flight because I refused to pay a bribe. She went further to threaten me, saying that if I continued making this video, she would plant drugs in my luggage and call the NDLEA to arrest me,” the woman alleged.
The woman’s account has raised concerns about passenger treatment, alleged extortion and the protection available to travellers who report suspected misconduct by airport personnel.
However, the identity of the official involved, the specific agency to which the person belongs and the circumstances that allegedly led to the woman missing her flight have not been independently confirmed. No official response specifically addressing her allegations was identified in the reports reviewed. <Cite refs={[“turn726217search0″,”turn726217search1”]}/>
The allegations have also drawn attention to previous complaints about alleged bribery and unauthorised payments at Nigerian airports.
In December 2023, a video circulated online showing a female officer of the Nigeria Customs Service allegedly demanding money from a passenger at the Lagos airport. The officer was reportedly heard asking for ₦5,000 before reducing the amount to ₦3,000. The Customs Service subsequently condemned the conduct captured in the footage and announced an investigation.
More recently, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), working with the SERVICOM Office, launched the Operation Air Clean sensitisation programme in August 2026 to address concerns about touting, extortion, impersonation and unauthorised facilitation at Nigerian airports. The initiative brought together representatives of aviation-related agencies, including Immigration, Customs and the NDLEA.
While the latest allegation has not been independently verified, it highlights the importance of transparent complaint procedures and accountability whenever passengers report misconduct by officials.
The woman’s account may prompt calls for the relevant airport authorities to establish what happened, identify the official involved if the allegation is substantiated, and determine whether disciplinary or legal action is warranted.
For now, the claims remain allegations, and a response from the relevant authorities would be necessary to establish the full circumstances of the incident.
