A man identified as Segun Martins was on Wednesday arrested by security operatives at the General Tunde Idiagbon International Airport, Ilorin, after attempting to hide inside the tyre compartment of an Overland Airways aircraft preparing for takeoff.
The incident occurred at about 15:02 hours when Martins gained unauthorized access to the restricted airside area and crawled toward the aircraft as it taxied for departure. He was reportedly under the impression that the aircraft was headed for the United States and attempted to stow away by concealing himself near the landing gear.
Airport police personnel responded promptly and apprehended the suspect, who has since been handed over to the Kwara State Police Command for investigation.
The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) confirmed the incident through its spokesperson, Michael Achimugu, who stated in a post that ground security operatives intercepted Martins before he could access the tyre well.
Achimugu noted that investigations were ongoing to determine how the suspect breached airport security protocols.
Martins is currently being interrogated by security agencies as authorities work to uncover his motives and assess any potential security lapses that may have enabled the attempt.
