260
By Lizzy Chirkpi
After hours of what appeared a one-sided story, Senator Adams Oshiomhole has finally given his side of what transpired at the Lagos Terminal of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos on Wednesday.
In his reaction, the former Edo State Governor claimed that the airline was reselling already booked tickets for between N200,000 and N300,000 for additional profit, which he said, left some passengers stranded and led to the altercation and commotion witnessed on Wednesday, June 11, 2025.
The former Prew of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) also accused the airline of previously delaying the aforementioned flight for five hours, contributing to his frustration.
Senator Oshiomhole stated that the commotion at the domestic terminal was sparked by Air Peace’s decision to prevent passengers from boarding while allegedly reselling seats at inflated prices on the spot.
Recall that Air Peace earlier issued a statement accusing the prominent politician of violence and unruly behaviour, claiming he blocked the entrance to the Zulu Terminal after he arrived late for a scheduled flight to Abuja.
The airline informed that the lawmaker completely obstructed the terminal’s entrance, refusing to move despite multiple pleas from the terminal manager.
Air Peace alleged that instead of accepting responsibility for his lateness, the Edo lawmaker allegedly chose to create chaos and gridlock, leaving dozens of passengers stranded and delayed.
Recounting the events, Senator Oshiomhole said: “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. Yesterday, I booked a flight for 6:30 a.m., which is their first flight today. 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. Even before then, they had asked if I had checked in, and I told them yes, and that I had no luggage. They looked at it but still said the gate had been closed. Meanwhile, I noticed they were still taking other people in.
“So I asked, ‘How can you close boarding for a 6:30 a.m. 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?”
Oshiomhole insisted that many other passengers were left stranded despite arriving early.
“While speaking to them, I saw many men and women who had been there even before me, with similar experiences. Basically, they were selling tickets on the spot at higher prices. I will give you an example. A lady bought her ticket for N146,000 online. She arrived at the airport at 5:55 a.m. for the 6:30 a.m. flight, after the gatemen had delayed her.
“They told her she was late and that the counter had closed for check-in. She said that was impossible, as it wasn’t even 6:00 a.m. They told her she would be put on the next flight. She protested, saying, ‘Why? Put me on this flight.’ But they told her the flight was full and she would have to wait.
“Meanwhile, the airline was selling tickets on the spot for between N200,000 and N300,000. To take advantage of the situation, they discouraged those who had bought tickets online at lower rates and sold to people willing to pay more.
“I asked the manager, ‘What is this woman’s crime? She has a baby that’s not more than six months old. How can you refuse to board her when the aircraft is still on the ground and more people are buying tickets?’ You cannot continue like this. Tomorrow, everyone will blame the government. You have regulatory agencies, and they are all compromising. You cannot board people buying tickets on the spot and deny those who booked days ago or checked in online.
“By the time the DSS (Department of State Services) and Air Force personnel came to find out what happened, they intervened and offered to put the woman on the next flight—the same offer they had made to me earlier.
“But to board that next flight, they told her she would have to pay N109,100. This was in addition to the original N146,000 ticket, meaning she would spend about N255,100 for a one-hour flight to Abuja. There were many others in the same situation, and everyone was shouting at the airport, ” he said.
The Comrade further explained that many people were stranded “except for those who could afford to buy another ticket.
“I said to the manager, ‘You must follow the rules.’ Many people were stranded, except those who could afford another ticket. I followed the woman to the counter and told her to do whatever they asked. Those of us who were also prevented from flying gathered there. Even when an officer offered me access to a lounge, people around said, ‘Comrade, please don’t leave—this is how they’ve been treating us.
“I had to send that woman N500,000. That’s basically what happened. I told them this cannot be allowed. I checked in online and arrived on time. The aircraft hadn’t taken off. I’m not supposed to check in twice. The rowdiness arose because many people were denied boarding while tickets were being sold on the spot to others,” he clarified.