Leading Nigerian airline Air Peace has issued a firm rebuttal to allegations made by Senator Adams Oshiomhole, challenging the lawmaker to provide proof of any passengers being extorted by its staff.
The confrontation stems from an incident that occurred on Wednesday at the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal 1 (Zulu Hall) in Lagos, where Oshiomhole—who represents Edo North Senatorial District—was reported to have disrupted flight operations after missing his scheduled flight to Abuja.
According to Air Peace, the senator’s outburst was an attempt to deflect responsibility for arriving late to the terminal. The airline accused him of blocking the check-in counter and inciting other passengers against its staff.
In a Wednesday night statement, Air Peace categorically denied Oshiomhole’s claims that the airline sold inflated last-minute tickets and prevented online check-in passengers from boarding in order to resell seats.
“The Senator lied blatantly when he accused Air Peace of extorting its passengers. We challenge Senator Oshiomhole to bring one evidence of a passenger that was extorted,” the statement read.
The airline clarified that no tickets were sold after the check-in closed and that the flight in question was not overbooked, with over 30 empty seats recorded on takeoff.
“It would have been in our interest to carry Oshiomhole and those others who missed their flights for lateness on this flight, instead of flying many empty seats; but we will never sacrifice our strict on-time performance for monetary gains,” the statement added.
Air Peace further debunked the senator’s claim that he was standing up for fellow passengers.
“Senator Oshiomhole was not fighting for anyone. He came to the airport late and was told that he was late. He then began to forment trouble. He jumped on the baggage conveyor belt preventing the check-in process of other flights. He also barricaded the entrance gate and prevented access to the terminal.”
The airline has now called on the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to release the CCTV footage showing Oshiomhole’s conduct at the airport for public viewing.
Describing the senator’s actions as “very violent, unbecoming, unfortunate and above all, shameful,” Air Peace maintains it will not compromise operational discipline or tolerate defamation.
