A 25-year-old Nigerian, Abdulrahman Oluwatumike Oriyomi, has been charged with interrupting the operation of a critical infrastructure facility in Houston, United States.

Mr Oriyomi allegedly manipulated security checks at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, particularly at the airport’s Terminal C, and boarded United Flight 469, heading to Los Angeles, on Monday, May 18.

According to a report by a local television station in Houston, KHOU 11, the charge sheet against Mr Oriyomi stated that airport staff at the departure gates were distracted at the time the suspect proceeded to board the aircraft.

Flight attendants were alerted that someone was hiding in the aircraft restroom shortly after the plane began taxiing, prompting a directive to return the aircraft to the airport for a thorough investigation.

Law enforcement agencies, including the Houston Police Department and the FBI, were invited to the scene of the incident and reportedly investigated and discovered that the boarding pass used by Mr Oriyomi was fraudulent.

An airport staff member, who also reviewed the document, said the suspect’s pass lacked key information and a QR code.

According to the report, a judge granted a $25,000 bond request by the prosecutors, citing a three-hour delay of the full flight and the deployment of multiple agencies, including the Explosive Detection K-9 Unit, the FBI, Houston Airports, and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), among others.

Other conditions imposed on the suspect include the seizure of his travel passport, a restriction from entering the airport where the incident occurred or any other airport, the surrender of firearms, and consent to electronic monitoring.