There was palpable tension and a dose of family drama at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on Sunday, when two sisters turned the departure hall into a boxing ring after missing their NG Eagle flight to an undisclosed destination.
According to the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Michael Achimugu, who shared the bizarre incident on X (formerly Twitter), the sisters arrived late for their flight — and all hell broke loose when they realized the plane had departed.
Witnesses said a heated argument erupted between the women over who caused the delay. Within moments, shouting turned to shoving, and shoving turned into a full-blown fight that left shocked passengers and airport staff scrambling for safety.
“Two sisters, both adults, booked to travel via an NG Eagle flight. They missed the flight because they were late. Perhaps one of them blamed her sibling, but they began to fight each other,” Achimugu wrote.
Luggage flew. Wigs shifted. Handbags became makeshift weapons. It took airport security to separate the feuding sisters, dragging them into the interrogation office in a bid to restore order.
But peace was short-lived.
Inside the office, the women reportedly resumed their brawl, this time with renewed fury. In the chaos, one of them suddenly collapsed, prompting frantic calls for medical help.
Yet, in a shocking twist, her sister refused medical assistance — insisting the matter was “spiritual, not medical.”
Airport officials, however, overruled her and rushed the unconscious woman to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) clinic, where she was receiving treatment as of the time of the report.
“Hopefully, she makes a recovery. This is not how things should be,” Achimugu concluded.
What began as a missed flight ended as a scene of high drama — a stark reminder that sometimes, the turbulence begins long before takeoff.