Nigerian leading airline, Air Peace, has vehemently denied allegations made by Senator Adams Oshiomhole, challenging him to provide evidence that its officials extorted passengers during a recent incident at Lagos Airport.
The controversy erupted on Wednesday when Oshiomhole, who represents Edo North Senatorial District, reportedly disrupted flight schedules at the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal 1. According to Air Peace, the former Edo State Governor missed his flight and subsequently clashed with airline staff, causing operational disruptions.
Conflicting Accounts of the Incident
Oshiomhole presented a different version of events, claiming that despite completing online check-in, he and other passengers were prevented from boarding their Lagos to Abuja flight. He further alleged that Air Peace officials were selling tickets at inflated prices to other customers on the spot.
In a strongly-worded statement released Wednesday night, Air Peace categorically rejected these claims, describing them as "deliberate falsehood" and challenging the Senator to substantiate his accusations.
"The Senator lied blatantly when he accused Air Peace of extorting its passengers. We challenge Senator Oshiomole to bring one evidence of a passenger that was extorted," the airline stated.
Air Peace Counters Overbooking Claims
The airline further refuted allegations of flight overbooking, stating: "None of our staff ever extorted any passenger. In fact, no ticket was sold after the closure of check-in on that flight. Everyone who flew bought their ticket prior to the flight closure."
According to Air Peace, the aircraft departed with over thirty empty seats, contradicting Oshiomhole's claims. "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 continued.
Allegations of Disruptive Behavior
Air Peace accused the Senator of causing significant disruption at the airport after being informed he was late for his flight. The airline alleged that Oshiomhole "jumped on the baggage conveyor belt preventing the check-in process of other flights" and "barricaded the entrance gate and prevented access to the terminal" while "deliberately instigating other passengers against the Airline."
The airline has called on the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to release CCTV footage of the incident, describing the Senator's conduct as "very violent, unbecoming, unfortunate and above all, shameful."
As of the time of reporting, Senator Oshiomhole has not responded to Air Peace's latest statement challenging his claims.
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