Edo North Senator Adams Oshiomhole has strongly refuted Air Peace’s allegations that he disrupted airport operations, instead accusing the airline of systematic extortion and arbitrary policy enforcement that exploits Nigerian passengers.

The controversy erupted when Air Peace publicly accused the former Edo State governor of causing disruptions at Lagos’ Murtala Muhammed Airport after allegedly missing his scheduled flight. However, speaking to journalists in Abuja on Wednesday, Oshiomhole painted a dramatically different picture of events.

The Tuesday Evening Incident

According to Oshiomhole’s account, trouble began Tuesday evening when he arrived at the airport at 6:10 PM for a 6:50 PM departure to Abuja, well within Air Peace’s standard 30-minute check-in window. Despite having his luggage processed and holding a business class ticket, airline staff denied him boarding, claiming they had stopped issuing boarding passes.

“I saw others arriving after me who were allowed to board,” Oshiomhole explained, describing what he viewed as selective enforcement of policies. The denial forced him to secure hotel accommodation, where he spent ₦1.5 million to house himself and two stranded Ghanaian passengers.

Morning Flight Rejection Sparks Deeper Concerns

The situation escalated the following morning when Oshiomhole, having checked in online at 7:46 PM the previous night, arrived for the 6:30 AM flight at 6:05 AM. Despite meeting what he understood to be the airline’s requirements, he was again turned away due to what staff described as a sudden policy change requiring passengers to check in 45 minutes before departure instead of the usual 30 minutes.

“What is the purpose of online check-in, then?” Oshiomhole questioned, highlighting the apparent contradictions in the airline’s procedures.

Allegations of Systematic Exploitation

The senator’s most serious accusations centered on what he characterized as a deliberate scheme to exploit passengers. He described witnessing airline staff deny boarding to passengers with legitimate online bookings while simultaneously selling last-minute tickets at inflated prices.

Oshiomhole cited the case of a woman who purchased her ticket online for ₦146,000 but was denied boarding and told to buy a replacement ticket for ₦250,000. “That is not policy enforcement, it is extortion,” he declared.

The senator detailed how another passenger, a woman traveling with a baby, was eventually offered a seat on the next flight for an additional ₦109,000, bringing her total cost to approximately ₦256,000 for a one-hour domestic flight.

Rejecting VIP Treatment, Standing with Citizens

In a move that distinguishes his response from typical elite behavior, Oshiomhole revealed that he deliberately refused preferential treatment when Air Peace staff offered to “sort him out” after recognizing his status.

“I said, don’t help me, enforce my rights like every other Nigerian,” he recounted. The senator criticized what he termed “VIP impunity” in Nigeria’s aviation sector, where influential individuals receive special treatment while ordinary citizens suffer.

His decision to remain with stranded passengers rather than accept preferential access reflects a broader stance against systemic inequality. “Big men get sorted, and the rest of Nigerians are ignored,” he observed.

Regulatory Failure and Government Responsibility

Oshiomhole directed sharp criticism at the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), accusing the regulatory body of failing in its oversight responsibilities. He characterized the situation as “ruthless, primitive capitalism” where Nigerians remain unprotected from corporate exploitation.

“How can you profit from your own inefficiency?” he asked, calling on the federal government to intervene in what he sees as systematic abuse of passengers’ rights.

The senator warned that continued exploitation could have broader social consequences, suggesting that when people lose hope in institutional protection, they may resort to more drastic measures.

Financial Support for Affected Passengers

Demonstrating his commitment to the affected passengers, Oshiomhole revealed that he provided ₦500,000 to assist the woman who was denied boarding, illustrating the personal cost of his principled stand.

The incident has highlighted broader questions about airline practices in Nigeria and the effectiveness of regulatory oversight in protecting consumer rights. Oshiomhole’s refusal to accept VIP treatment while advocating for ordinary passengers has added a unique dimension to what might otherwise have been dismissed as another celebrity tantrum.

As the dispute continues, it raises important questions about corporate accountability, regulatory effectiveness, and the protection of consumer rights in Nigeria’s aviation sector.