Pretoria, South Africa: On Thursday 19 June 2025, Dr. Adejoke O. Adediran was awarded a PhD in Aviation Law from the University of South Africa for her pioneering study titled “Exploring the Protection of Passengers During Unruly Passenger Incidents in Air Transport in Nigeria: Towards a New Regime of Consumer Protection.” Her supervisor, none other than Professor Angelo Dube, is a distinguished legal scholar, certified fixed-wing pilot, and expert in aviation law. He leads Flying Jurist and brings a rich blend of academic insight, international legal expertise, and hands-on experience in aviation policy.
The research breaks new ground by critically examining the legal frameworks – both in Nigeria and internationally – around incidents involving unruly passengers. She proposes a fresh legal regime that better safeguards passengers during such incidents.
The study addresses the growing concern of disruptive behaviour on board aircraft and at airports, which poses significant threats to aviation safety. Under Nigerian law, such behavior is criminalized, with both the Pilot in Command (PIC) and airport authorities granted the power to manage these situations. However, the current system gives them wide discretion in determining what qualifies as “unruly” behavior – an approach that can sometimes compromise passenger rights, especially when no real safety threat is present.
Dr. Adediran’s research found that the existing regime is heavily focused on safety, often at the expense of fairness to passengers. Crew members and airport staff are not adequately trained to handle these incidents, and the lack of clear protocols can lead to inconsistent or even unjust outcomes, such as passengers being disembarked or denied boarding unnecessarily.
Among her key recommendations:
- Airlines should be required to implement internal protocols for managing unruly passenger situations. These protocols should go beyond punishment and include clear procedures that protect passenger rights.
- The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria should develop comprehensive guidelines for airport personnel, focusing on de-escalation strategies and fair decision-making.
- These guidelines should clearly differentiate between behavior that poses a real threat to safety and that which does not.
Dr. Adediran is a respected member of the Nigerian Bar and an expert in Aviation Law. She teaches and supervises postgraduate students at the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS) in Abuja, where she is a faculty member at the Akinola Aguda Postgraduate School. She holds both an LLB and LLM from Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria.
A prolific researcher, Dr. Adediran has published extensively in aviation, international, and public law. She holds a certificate in Public International Law from both the United Nations International Law Fellowship Programme at the Peace Palace in The Hague and The Hague Academy of International Law.
Her accolades include the NIALS Director-General Award for Most Prolific Researcher (2014) and the OAU Faculty of Law Award for Most Diligent Female Student (2005). She is also an active member of several professional organizations, including the Nigerian Bar Association, Nigerian Association of Law Teachers, Women in Aviation International, and the Nigerian Society of International Law and the Afrikan Peer Growth Network (APGroN).
Dr Adediran, FlyingJurist salutes you!
Vuyolwethu Siyolise Musoke, Correspondent
Vuyo is currently busy with her LLM by full research and is focusing on the area of aviation law and trade.
