NANS Slams Elin Air Pilot Over Brutal Assault on OAU Student

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has issued a scathing condemnation of a helicopter pilot from Elin Air for physically assaulting a student at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) in Ile-Ife, Osun State. The incident, captured in a widely circulated video on social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram since December 23, 2025, shows the pilot kicking and slapping the student near a parked helicopter with registration number 5N-BVT.

Eyewitness accounts and the footage, which has garnered thousands of views and sparked national outrage, reveal that the student approached the aircraft—operated by Elin Air, a Lagos-based charter company known for VIP flights—to take photographs. The co-pilot initially engaged calmly as the student knelt in apology, but the pilot suddenly intervened with unprovoked violence. OAU’s Students’ Union has mobilized, demanding the pilot’s arrest and a public apology, while local reports confirm the university management is liaising with police.

NANS, in a press statement signed by its National Public Relations Officer, Comrade Adeyemi Samson, described the act as “degrading, violent, and inhuman,” emphasizing it violates the student’s fundamental right to dignity. “Even if the student’s action was inappropriate, it does not justify such brutality from a licensed aviation professional expected to uphold psychological stability,” the statement read.

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The association aligned with the OAU Students’ Union’s position and escalated demands to federal authorities. It urged the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, along with the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), to launch an immediate probe, impose sanctions, and introduce mandatory mental health assessments and behavioral training for pilots and crew. This call gains urgency amid Nigeria’s aviation sector scrutiny, following recent NCAA suspensions of operators for safety lapses.

Elin Air has yet to issue an official response as of press time, but aviation sources note the helicopter was on a routine charter. Public reactions online highlight concerns over pilot conduct and student safety on campuses hosting aviation activities. NANS reaffirmed its role as the protector of Nigerian students’ rights, vowing to pursue justice.