Former Edo State Governor and the senator representing the Edo North senatorial district, Adams Oshiomhole, has condemned domestic airline Air Peace for barring checked-in passengers from boarding its flight on Wednesday morning at Lagos’ Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal 1.
In a video that circulated on social media, the senator was seen confronting airport officials over the treatment of passengers.
Sources at the airport had claimed that Oshiomhole obstructed the entrance to the Zulu Terminal of the General Aviation Terminal (GAT) after arriving at the terminal significantly past the scheduled departure time of his flight.
They claimed that Oshiomhole was supposed to take an early morning Air Peace flight, with a departure time set for 6:30 am.
Air Peace, in a statement to journalists, condemned Oshiomhole for what it described as the “unruly and disruptive conduct.
But speaking, Oshiomhole offered detailed insight into the events that triggered the commotion.
“I booked Air Peace… They delayed the flight for over five hours. In the end, they announced a cancellation. I had to get another ticket,” the former Edo State governor recounted.
“Yesterday, I booked a flight for 6:30 a.m. I checked in online with two Ghanaians who were with me. I got to the airport by 6:05 a.m., only to be told the counter had closed.”
Despite having no luggage and presenting proof of his online check-in, Oshiomhole said he was denied boarding while watching others being allowed through.
“I noticed they were still taking in other people, even as they told me the gate had closed,” he said. “What is the point of online check-in if you can’t board with it?”
According to him, other passengers shared similar experiences. He cited the case of a woman with an infant who was also turned back despite arriving early, only to be told the flight was full while tickets were being sold to others for ₦200,000 to ₦300,000.
He said: “The woman had paid ₦146,000 online and got there before 6 a.m. They told her she was late. Later, they said she could board the next flight if she paid another ₦109,100. That’s over ₦250,000 for a one-hour flight.”