Air Peace Refutes Oshiomhole’s Allegations of Passenger Extortion, Calls for CCTV Footage Release
Air Peace has strongly denied recent accusations of extortion levelled against it by Senator Adams Oshiomhole, describing the claims as false, defamatory, and an attempt to mislead the public.
In a statement issued by the airline’s management, the company categorically refuted allegations made by the former Edo State Governor, insisting that no passenger was extorted during the incident in question. Air Peace challenged Senator Oshiomhole to provide a single piece of evidence to support his claims.
“The Senator lied blatantly when he accused Air Peace of extorting its passengers,” the airline said. “We challenge Senator Oshiomhole to bring one evidence of a passenger that was extorted. None of our staff ever extorted any passenger.”
Air Peace further clarified that no tickets were sold after the check-in for the flight had closed and emphasised that all passengers on the said flight had purchased their tickets before the deadline.
The airline also debunked the notion that the flight was overbooked, stating that the aircraft actually departed with more than 30 vacant seats. According to Air Peace, this alone proves that there was no intent to profit unfairly from last-minute ticket sales or overbooking practices.
“In fact, the aircraft took off with over thirty (30) 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 statement read.
Air Peace went on to describe Senator Oshiomhole’s behaviour at the airport as disruptive and unacceptable.
Contrary to his claims that he was advocating on behalf of others, the airline alleged that the Senator arrived late for the flight and became confrontational when he was informed he could no longer board.
“It’s absolutely false that he was offered preferential treatment and that he was fighting for others. Senator Oshiomhole 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 airline stated.
Air Peace accused the Senator of causing a scene, including jumping onto the baggage conveyor belt and obstructing the check-in process for other passengers. Additionally, he allegedly barricaded the entrance gate to the terminal and incited other travellers against the airline.
Describing his actions as “violent, unbecoming, unfortunate and above all, shameful,” the airline has now called on the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to release CCTV footage from the moment Senator Oshiomhole arrived at the airport to provide the public with a clear picture of the events.
Air Peace concluded its statement by reaffirming its commitment to professionalism and punctuality in flight operations while condemning what it termed “deliberate falsehood” aimed at tarnishing its reputation.
The matter has sparked considerable public interest, and many now await FAAN’s response regarding the possible release of surveillance footage to confirm or refute the claims on both sides.
