Man who threatened to set fire to Ercan Airport receives lifetime ban from TRNC

A second video with threats recorded by Idris Buğa — the man previously denied entry to Northern Cyprus and placed in a police cell at Ercan Airport before deportation to Turkey — has surfaced.

According to sources, the decision to ban entry to the TRNC was made at the level of the Council of Ministers after analyzing the videos published by Buğa on social media. In the first video, filmed on January 8 at Ercan Airport, he threatened to set the airport on fire, and in the second — on January 12 in Turkey — he stated that he would return to the TRNC and threaten the peace and security of the Turkish Cypriot community.

Idris Buğa arrived in Northern Cyprus on a Pegasus flight from Gaziantep but gave aggressive and inconsistent answers to immigration officers at passport control. Suspicions were further raised when his small suitcase was found empty.

During the interview, Buğa could not clearly explain the purpose of his visit, did not have cash with him, and stated that he had not come for tourism but to purchase alcohol and tobacco products. As a result, he was denied entry and on January 9 was deported to Turkey under the INAD (inadmissibility) procedure.

The official decision also notes that the second threat video, published on January 12, 2026, as well as the recording made at the Ercan Airport police station, caused a wide public reaction and were key grounds for the ban.

On this basis, the Council of Ministers, citing Article 7 of the Law on Foreigners and Immigration (Chapter 105), decided to prohibit Idris Buğa from entering the TRNC.