The Director General
Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA)
Aviation House
Murtala Muhammed Airport Road
Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria
I am writing to formally complain about the treatment I received as a wheelchair user while attempting to board a recent flight with MAX AIR.
After waiting for over three hours, passengers were informed that the flight would depart from the International Airport. Two buses were provided at different intervals to transport passengers. However, neither of the buses was accessible for wheelchair users. I therefore declined to board and requested an accessible vehicle.
Despite my request, I was left waiting without support. On the tarmac, I was almost pushed out of my wheelchair before being told that no accessible bus was available. I was advised to use the regular bus and offered to be lifted into it — a practice I found unsafe, undignified, and discriminatory.
This experience violates several established legal and regulatory provisions, including:
The Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018, guarantees equal access to public facilities and prohibits discriminatory practices against persons with disabilities.
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), which Nigeria has ratified, guarantees accessibility, safety, and dignity in public services.
ICAO Annex 9 (Facilitation) Standards, require that airlines and airports provide assistance and accessible facilities for passengers with reduced mobility.
By failing to provide an accessible bus, the airline breached both national law and international aviation standards.
I respectfully request that the NCAA:
1. Investigates this incident and holds the airline accountable for non-compliance with accessibility requirements.
2. Issues directives to airlines and airport operators to ensure that accessible transport and facilities are always available for passengers with disabilities.
3. Provides me with a formal update on actions taken in response to this complaint.
I trust that the NCAA will take this matter seriously and ensure that no passenger with a disability is subjected to such indignity in the future.
Thank you for your prompt attention.
Yours faithfully,
Ibrahim Omotosho
ibrahim.o.omotosho@gmail.com ‪
+2348037164098
