Air Peace has strongly refuted recent allegations made by Senator Adams Oshiomhole, describing his claims of passenger extortion and flight overbooking as “blatant lies.” In a statement released on June 12, 2025, the airline challenged the senator to provide any evidence of passengers being extorted, insisting that no tickets were sold after check-in closed for the flight in question and that the aircraft departed with over 30 empty seats.
The airline emphasized that it would have been in their interest to accommodate Oshiomhole and other late passengers rather than fly with empty seats but maintained that it upholds strict on-time performance policies over monetary gain. Air Peace also denied offering any preferential treatment to the senator and accused him of unruly behavior at the airport, including obstructing operations by jumping on baggage conveyors and barricading terminal entrances.
Senator Oshiomhole, who represents Edo North, had publicly accused Air Peace of denying him boarding despite arriving on time and completing online check-in, alleging that airline staff were selling tickets at inflated prices to other passengers after boarding had closed. He also denied disrupting airport operations, stating his actions were in defense of passengers’ rights and protesting systemic extortion and poor customer service in Nigeria’s aviation sector.
The incident has sparked widespread debate, with some APC members calling for regulatory sanctions against Air Peace and demanding reforms within the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority. Meanwhile, the airline insists that the senator’s narrative is false and has urged authorities to investigate the matter thoroughly.
The controversy highlights ongoing tensions between Nigerian passengers and airlines over service quality, transparency, and passenger rights.