Air Peace, a Nigerian airline, has denied any involvement in the Department of State Services (DSS) arrest and detention of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President Joe Ajaero.
The New Daily Prime earlier reported that DSS operatives arrested Mr. Ajaero on Monday at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja while he was traveling to the United Kingdom for an official assignment.
Following backlash from labour unions and civil organizations, the DSS bowed to pressure and released Mr. Ajaero on Monday. Channel Television reported on Tuesday that Air Peace, in a statement signed by its spokesperson Omotade Makinwa, refuted any connection to Mr. Ajaero’s arrest.
The airline emphasized that the accusations have led to unfavorable publicity for the company.
The statement read: “Air Peace expresses deep concern over recent media reports regarding the arrest of the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in connection with a petition filed by the airline in September 2023. This development, which has led to negative publicity, does not reflect the current relationship between Air Peace and the NLC.
“It is important to clarify the events leading up to the petition. On May 3, 2023, the NLC disrupted Air Peace operations as part of a broader conflict with the Imo State government. Although Air Peace had no involvement in the dispute between the NLC and the Imo State government, our airline was unfortunately used as a tool to exert pressure on the government. This unlawful disruption of our services caused significant financial losses and impacted the travel plans of many Nigerians across multiple states.
“In response to this disruption, Air Peace’s legal team submitted a formal petition against the NLC to the Nigerian Police. Despite our repeated efforts to follow up on the petition, the police failed to take prompt action.
“However, over a year later, the Nigerian Police have chosen to act on the original petition, which has now led to the alleged arrest of the NLC president. Prior to this arrest, the airline and the NLC had already reached an amicable resolution, and Air Peace had withdrawn its petition, allowing a positive working relationship to resume between the two organizations.”
