Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has directed aviation agencies to investigate the incident involving Senator Adams Oshiomhole and officials of Air Peace Airline at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
A row broke out on Wednesday at the domestic wing of the Airport Terminal 1 in Lagos between Sen. Oshiomhole and Air Peace Airline officials who alleged that the Senator arrived after the boarding process had ended, and the plane departed.
Senator Oshiomhole on the other hand alleged that he and other passengers were victims of sharp practices by the airline staff members who redirected their tickets to other passengers at higher rates.
He denied barricading the terminal, disrupting flight operations or being unruly as alleged by the airline.
Oshiomhole said he only decided to fight for Nigerians who were being ‘extorted’ by the airline under the pretext of coming late.
Reacting to the development yesterday via a post on his official X handle @fkeyamo, the Keyamo directed aviation agencies to thoroughly probe the issues and revert to his office.
He noted that the investigation would enable the sector to deal with the issue in such a way as to guide future conducts in similar situations.
The minister, however, did not give a timeline for the conclusion of the investigation
The post reads: “In the wake of the incident at the Lagos Airport last Wednesday involving AIRPEACE Airline and His Excellency, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, I have been in direct contact with both parties since that morning.
“I also directed the aviation agencies to exercise restraint in jumping to conclusions in line with the time-honoured legal principle of ‘hear all sides’ before reaching judgment.
“Whilst appealing to both sides to halt the public accusations and counter-accusations, I am further directing the relevant aviation agencies to thoroughly look into the issue, collect all available evidence and revert to my office so we can deal with the issue in such a way as to guide future conducts in similar situations.”
Meanwhile the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), has challenged the Aviation Security Personnel attached to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), to release the video footage of the incident. The spokesperson of the umbrella body of indigenous carriers, Professor Obiora Okonkwo stated this yesterday while responding to questions on the action proposed by the body on the recent fracas between the former Edo State governor and Air Peace staff on the circumstances leading to the drama at the airport.
Okonkwo said the details of such video footage would go a long way in establishing the veracity of the claims by the former governor that he did not disrupt the operations of Air Peace or other carriers on the day of the incident at the airport.
The AON spokesperson said the refusal / delay by FAAN, which personnel are in charge of security at the airport to produce such evidence, will go a long way in attempting to cover up alleged unauthorised conduct by passengers.
He said from the investigations so far carried out by AON, it is clear that the affected airline did not set out to deny the prominent politician access into the aircraft, but that the laid down procedures for check – in protocols were not fully complied with.
Okonkwo called on passengers to assist airlines in meeting up with on – time departure by coming to the airport early , as the intense logistics involved in flight operations requires compliance with the rules of carriage.
He said though the fracas is being resolved politically, there is need for aviation authorities to mount a serious campaign against unruly passenger behaviour, which has led to destruction of airline equipment and other infractions at the airport.
Also condemning the incident, the South South Zonal Organizing Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Blessing Agbomhere, called on the aviation minister to direct the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to urgently investigate the faceoff in order to save Nigeria’s local air services from being turned into a bastion of inefficiency and corruption.
He also called on the NCAA to wake up from its long slumber, saying the world has gone beyond Nigeria’s poorly regulated airline industry which gives local operators the leeway to delay, cancel and round trip tickets purchased by unsuspecting customers, thereby denying them the opportunity to travel on schedule, without any sort of sanction on erring.
Agbomhere made the call in a statement released in Abuja, in reaction to the incident.
Madukwe B. Nwabuisi is an accomplished journalist renown for his fearless reporting style and extensive expertise in the field. He is an investigative journalist, who has established himself as a kamikaze reporter.
