Johannesburg Airport Detention: Nigerians Await Flight Back to Lagos.
Two Nigerian travellers who were reportedly held at O.R. Tambo International Airport are expected to return to Lagos on the next available flight, according to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority.
The confirmation came on Sunday from Michael Achimugu, Director of Public Affairs & Consumer Protection at the NCAA, who explained that the passengers would depart Johannesburg on flight JNB WB109 and connect onward to Lagos on Monday morning.
Achimugu said the situation arose after the passengers reportedly failed a migratory inspection, which made them inadmissible under immigration rules.
He was responding to a post on X by a Nigerian identified as Yemi, who earlier claimed that he and three others had been unlawfully detained at the airport despite having valid travel documents.
According to Achimugu, such cases fall under immigration authorities and not the airline involved.
“When a passenger is considered inadmissible, they are held until the airline that brought them in is able to fly them back,” he explained.
He added that passengers in this situation may have to wait if there are no seats available on the next immediate flight.
“It is possible there are no available seats on the very next flight and the passenger would have to wait. During that time, the passenger cannot leave the terminal,” he said.
Achimugu advised affected travellers to remain calm and cooperate with airport officials while arrangements are made for their return.
“Do not become unruly and avoid recording videos if it goes against airport regulations. Unless you are being maltreated, remain calm until you are flown back home,” he added.
Earlier on Sunday, Yemi had taken to social media claiming that he and three other Nigerians were singled out and detained despite having valid visas and complete travel documents.
“Myself and three other Nigerians have been unlawfully detained in Johannesburg airport for literally doing nothing. Our papers are complete, visa valid, yet they singled us out of the crowd,” he wrote.
He also alleged that one of the detained travellers had their phone confiscated for most of the day and that airport authorities initially refused their request to immediately book a return flight.
The NCAA has since urged the affected passengers to remain patient while airlines finalise arrangements to return them to Nigeria.
