THE mild drama and public altercation involving the Senator representing Edo North, Adams Oshiomhole, and staff of Air Peace at Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal 1 (Zulu Hall) on the morning of Wednesday, June 11, have resulted in accusations and counter-accusations from both parties.

The incident had attracted public concern as Nigerians reacted to the altercation, The ICIR reported.

Following the incident, which trended on social media, Air Peace, in its earlier statement, claimed that Oshiomhole arrived late at the terminal at about 6:10 am for a flight to Abuja, scheduled to depart at 6:30 am, and upon being refused boarding, disrupted flight operations.

The airline further claimed that, in line with its standard on-time departure policy, the boarding process had closed and the flight departed as scheduled, criticising Oshiomhole for exhibiting “unruly conduct.”

In his reaction, Oshiomhole, in a video clip seen by The ICIR, countered the airline’s claims, narrating how passengers, including himself, were prevented from boarding the Air Peace flight to Abuja despite having checked in online and arriving 30 minutes before the counter was closed.

According to his account, he booked the Air Peace flight for 6:30 a.m., which was their first flight for the day.

“I booked and asked them to check me in online, which I did, along with two other Ghanaians who met me in Lagos. We checked in online just to avoid the last-minute issues I’ve had with them a couple of times.

“I got there at about five minutes past six. They told me the counter was closed. I told them, ‘No, I’ve already checked in.’ I showed them the evidence of my online check-in,” he said.

Even before then, the airline attendant had asked if he had checked in, and he told them yes, and that he had no luggage.

He claimed to have shown them his checks, but they still insisted that the gate had been closed. He, however, asserted that he noticed they were still taking other people in.

“How can you close boarding for a 6:30 flight at 6:05? What is the purpose of online check-in, then?’ If I had to go through another check-in process, then what’s the point of checking in online?”Oshiomole queried.

They were selling tickets on the spot at higher prices, Oshiomhole claimed. “Meanwhile, the airline was selling tickets on the spot for between N200,000 and N300,000.”

He said, upon observing that, he told the manager, ‘You must follow the rules.’

He said he was touched that many people were stranded, except those who could afford another ticket.

Among others, Oshiomhole also accused the airline of attempting to offer him preferential treatment, which he claimed he rejected, and that the issue was not about him but about enforcing the rule.

Although the airline initially was silent, naming Oshiomhole as the “prominent politician” referred to in its first statement, however, in another statement on Thursday, June 12, Air Peace debunked some of the Senator’s accusations.

It stated that Oshiomhole lied blatantly when he accused the airline of extorting its passengers.

“We challenge Senator Oshiomole to bring one evidence of a passenger that was extorted,” it demanded.

It claimed no ticket was sold after the closure of check-in and that every passenger who flew bought their ticket before the flight closure.

The airline also countered that its flight was never overbooked as some videos alleged, claiming that the aircraft took off with over 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,” it said.

It also debunked the offer of preferential treatment to Oshiomhole.

However, the airline did not counter Oshiomhole’s claim that he had checked in online a day before. It also did not clarify the 30-minute rule for closing the counter before the flight departure, as Oshiomhole claimed that many passengers who came much earlier were not allowed to board the flight.

Air Peace only added, “We call on the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to release the CCTV coverage starting from the time Senator Oshiomole entered the airport, for Nigerians to see.

“His accusation of extortion is very defamatory. His conduct was very violent, unbecoming, unfortunate, and above all, shameful.”