Air Peace has responded to reports surrounding the recent arrest of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President Joe Ajaero, distancing itself from any involvement in the incident.
According to a press statement issued by the airline, the arrest has wrongly been linked to a 2023 petition it filed over the disruption of its services by the NLC. However, the airline asserts that the matter had been resolved long before the police took action by detaining Ajaero on Monday. The labour leader was arrested at the Abuja airport on his way to the UK.
On May 3, 2023, the NLC disrupted Air Peace’s operations in a protest targeting the Imo State government. The airline clarified that it had no involvement in the dispute but was caught in the middle of the conflict.
“Our airline was unfortunately used as a tool to exert pressure on the government,” said Omotade Makinwa, spokesperson for Air Peace. This disruption, which resulted in financial losses and affected travel plans nationwide, led the airline’s legal team to file a petition with the Nigerian Police.
However, while Air Peace pursued legal action at the time, Makinwa emphasised that an “amicable resolution” had been reached between the airline and the NLC. The petition was withdrawn, and both parties resumed a positive working relationship.
Makinwa then expressed surprise that “over a year later, the Nigerian Police have chosen to act on the original petition” without any prompting from the airline.
The incident had drawn significant public attention, particularly after Air Peace’s N1 billion lawsuit in 2023 against the NLC for damages resulting from the service disruption. The airline sought compensation, citing financial and reputational losses, as well as the physical and emotional toll on its staff.
The airline has now called for a clearer distinction between the resolved dispute and the subsequent actions taken by the police, which it says do not reflect their current relationship with the NLC.
Ozioma Samuel-Ugwuezi
