Lt. Yerima, Wike's tormentor, caught boarding flight with gun

A Nigerian Navy officer, lieutenant Adam Muhammad Yerima, the young officer who prevented Nyesom Wike from demolition of a property in Abuja, has been accused of breaching aviation security protocols after allegedly bypassing mandatory passenger screening and attempting to board a commercial flight with a firearm at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos.

According to SaharaReporters, the officer was accessed the boarding terminal through the military wing of the airport, thereby avoiding standard civilian security screening procedures, before attempting to board a ValueJet Airlines flight.

Sources said the officer was armed with a pistol, an item prohibited for passengers on commercial flights under regulations of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), unless properly declared and handled through approved security channels.

According to insiders, Lieutenant Yerima completely bypassed designated civilian checkpoints by entering the terminal through the restricted military wing, a move said to be in violation of aviation safety rules.

Under existing regulations, all passengers -regardless of status - must undergo screening, and firearms must be formally declared and processed under strict security protocols.

Industry insiders said the incident reflects a broader pattern at major Nigerian airports, where some military personnel allegedly refuse to submit to standard boarding procedures.

A senior Value Jet official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that airline staff are frequently intimidated when they insist on compliance.

Multiple aviation sources familiar with the incident said airline security officials detected the breach and stopped the officer from boarding the aircraft with the weapon.

The officials reportedly insisted that he comply with civil aviation rules applicable to all passengers, including uniformed personnel travelling on commercial flights.

After initial resistance, the officer was said to have submitted to screening and firearm declaration procedures and was later allowed to board the flight.

However, the matter reportedly escalated after the incident.

Sources disclosed that the Nigerian military subsequently wrote an official letter to ValueJet Airlines, accusing the airline of disrespecting military personnel and demanding a formal apology for stopping Yerima.