Drama occurred today, Tuesday, April 11, 2023, at Arik Air, where the airline’s founder, Johnson Arumemi-Ikhide was barred from entering the company’s premises despite a court order which granted him entry. According to Headlinenews.news investigative reports, Arumemi-Ikhide and his aides were blocked by security officers who were earlier appointed through a court order after the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) took over the management of the airline in 2017 over a huge debt.
When pressmen arrived the scene, the Chief Security Officer of the airline disclosed that he was acting on an order “from above” which dictated that Arumemi-Ikhide should not be allowed into the premises.
Even after explaining that he was there for a meeting with the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Finance Officer, the airline’s founder was still refused entry into the premises.
He eventually left Arik Air premises and proceeded to the Nigeria Police Force division at the Murtala Mohammed Airport, Lagos, where he wrote a statement. Speaking on the matter, a source high up in the chain of command in Arik Air told Headlinenews.news Correspondent that the situation was just a minor misunderstanding. The source who pled anonymity said: What happened today was just a minor misunderstanding. I’m surprised it made it to the news. The Chief Security Officer was only obeying a court order which restricted access to our chairman. He is not aware that a new order which granted Ikhide access had been issued by the court. This will definitely be sorted out in the next few days.
Arik Air’s ongoing legal battle It would be recalled that in 2017, AMCON took over the assets of Arik Air over hundreds of billions of naira in bad debt to the company and other creditors. Following the takeover, Kamilu Omokhide was appointed receiver manager on behalf of the airline. The management at the time was accused of mismanaging the airlines and its finances to the extent of owing Nigerian banks, domestic and foreign partners. In December 2021, Arumemi-Ikhide filed originating motion to allow him, the directors and the shareholders of the airline unrestricted access to their offices. The motion also sought that they should be granted staff required for the discharge of their duties. Fortunately for Arumemi-Ikhide, the motion was granted in a new court order as the court ruled that receivership of Arik Air did not preclude restricting access to the premises. However, despite the court order which Arumemi-Ikhide displayed to the CSO, he and his aides were denied access into the premises, citing instruction from the receiver manager.
Arik Air grounds all its flights The scarcity of aviation fuel has forced Arik Air to suspend its domestic and international flights, Headlinenews.news reports. The airline has been in the storm this past week as stranded passengers staged a protest at the airport raining verbal abuses and physically assaulting the airline staff. It would be the third time in the last six weeks that passengers would clash with the airline’s staff following the cancellation or suspension of flight operations by Arik Air. The airline’s passengers especially those billed to travel to Johannesburg and New York waited endlessly without any boarding announcements being made for their flights. The airline later explained that it had difficulty sourcing for fuel for the flights and the flights were cancelled. However, sensing a breakdown of the peace, Policemen from the airport command were drafted to prevent the angry passengers from damaging facilities at the international airport.
