Nigeria's leading airline, Air Peace, has strongly denied allegations of passenger extortion made by former Edo State governor Senator Adams Oshiomhole, challenging the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to release CCTV footage of the incident.
In a statement released on Thursday, Air Peace categorically refuted Oshiomhole's claims that the airline had engaged in extorting passengers, describing the senator's accusations as "deliberate falsehood" and "highly defamatory."
"We challenge Senator Oshiomole to bring one piece of evidence of a passenger who was extorted," the airline stated. "None of our staff engaged in any form of extortion. No tickets were sold after the check-in for that flight had closed."
Conflicting Accounts of the Incident
According to Air Peace, Oshiomhole's claim that he was fighting on behalf of other passengers was false. The airline contends that the senator arrived late for his flight and was denied boarding in accordance with their standard procedures.
"It's absolutely false that he was offered preferential treatment and that he was fighting for others. Senator Oshiomole was not fighting for anyone. He came to the airport late and was told that he was late. He then began to foment trouble," the statement read.
The airline further alleged that Oshiomhole disrupted airport operations by climbing onto the baggage conveyor belt, blocking the terminal entrance, and inciting other passengers against the airline.
Disputing Overbooking Claims
Air Peace also denied allegations that the flight was overbooked, stating that the aircraft departed with over thirty empty seats.
"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 airline emphasized.
The controversy stems from Oshiomhole's public accusations that Air Peace was extorting passengers and that he had joined other travelers in protesting against the alleged misconduct.
Call for CCTV Evidence
In a bid to clear its name, Air Peace has called on FAAN to make public the CCTV footage capturing Oshiomhole's arrival at the airport and subsequent behavior.
"We urge FAAN to make public the CCTV footage from the moment Senator Oshiomhole entered the airport, so Nigerians can see what truly transpired," the airline stated, describing the senator's behavior as "aggressive, inappropriate, regrettable, and, above all, disgraceful."
The incident has sparked discussions about airline policies, passenger rights, and the conduct of public officials in Nigeria.
As of press time, Senator Oshiomhole has not responded to Air Peace's statement challenging his allegations.
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