The Ebonyi State Government has officially retracted its initial denial regarding a viral video showing a religious gathering at the Chimo Nweze International Passenger and Cargo Airport, confirming that a prayer session did indeed take place on the facility’s runway apron.
​The controversy began following the circulation of a video online depicting a crowd gathered in prayer within the operational areas of the airport located in Onueke, Ebonyi State.
​Responding to public concerns over potential aviation safety and protocol breaches, the Ebonyi State Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, Ikeuwa Omebeh, initially dismissed the footage. Omebeh publicly claimed the video was a product of artificial intelligence (AI) manipulation intended to mislead the public and malign the state government.
​On Tuesday, October 13, 2026, following further internal review and verification, Commissioner Ikeuwa Omebeh held a press briefing at the State Secretariat Complex in Abakaliki to clarify the situation and retract his earlier statement.
​Omebeh acknowledged that the prayer session was genuine and had taken place as depicted. He explained that the event occurred during an interdenominational prayer session organised to dedicate state infrastructure and seek divine protection over the facility.
​”Upon further investigation and verification of facts from the event organizers and airport security management, we wish to clarify that the prayer session depicted in the video did indeed take place on site,” Omebeh stated. “My initial response was based on preliminary reports that failed to capture the full context of the events.”
​The acknowledgment has raised questions regarding airport security management and compliance with Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) regulations regarding non-aviation activities inside airside zones.
The gathering was organised as a brief dedication exercise involving state officials, religious leaders, and local community stakeholders. State authorities stated that the session took place during non-operational hours when no commercial or private flights were scheduled on the runway.
The state government assured the public that stricter administrative controls will be instituted to ensure all future religious and ceremonial gatherings remain strictly within non-operational zones of the airport complex.
​The Ebonyi State Government reiterated its commitment to upholding standard safety protocols at the Chimo Nweze International Airport as it continues efforts to secure full commercial flight schedules with aviation regulatory bodies.
