There was tension on Tuesday in Abuja over a report that an Abuja-bound passenger aircraft from Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, was laced with explosives.
The alleged bomb-laden aircraft belonged to Arik Air, according to a report on the website of Sun newspapers at www.sunnewsonline.com.
The bombs were said to have been detected by eagle eyed personnel stationed at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, shortly after landing.
But the management of Arik Air has dismissed the report.
Daily Sun gathered that trouble started shortly after the aircraft was airborne from Maiduguri when a passenger, said to be from Niger State, started shouting “Allah Akbar, Allah Akbar” continuously.
Considering the current security situation in the country, passengers were said to have automatically developed fear that the passenger, a male, may be in possession of explosives to blow up the aircraft mid air.
Sources at the Nnamdi Azikiwe international airport in Abuja, told Daily Sun that thinking they were all going to die from bomb blast, most of the passengers resorted to praying until the flight finally landed safely in Abuja.
The airline authorities as well as passengers who did not find the behaviour of their fellow passenger funny, were said to have reported the matter to security personnel at the airport who immediately waded in and got the passenger thoroughly searched but found nothing incriminating on him.
The passenger was then said to have whisked away by men from the Sate Security Service for further interrogation and investigation.
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