Ramon Oladimeji Three shareholders and directors of Arik Air Limited have accused the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria which recently took over the airline of mismanaging it. In a fresh suit, which they filed before the Federal High Court in Lagos on Tuesday, the shareholders are urging the court to declare that AMCON would bear […]
Ramon Oladimeji
Three shareholders and directors of Arik Air Limited have accused the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria which recently took over the airline of mismanaging it.
In a fresh suit, which they filed before the Federal High Court in Lagos on Tuesday, the shareholders are urging the court to declare that AMCON would bear full responsibility should there be any air crash on account of its alleged mismanagement of the airline.
The plaintiffs in the fresh suit are Sir Joseph Arumemi-Ikhide, Chris Ndulue, Dr. Michael Arumemi-Ikhide and Mr. Sangowawa Olubiyi.
The plaintiffs, through their lawyer, Mr. Babajide Koku (SAN), are seeking a declaration that “the defendants would be personally liable for any air crash arising from non-compliance with the NCAA Act and Regulations including any claims for compensation and criminal liability arising therefrom.”
In their statement of claim, the plaintiffs alleged that Arik aircraft were not receiving adequate and scheduled maintenance as well as regular supply of proper spare parts.
They further alleged that over 10 aircraft parked at the Arik Air hanger were not on a maintenance and storage programme, claiming that the lives of passengers travelling aboard the airline were being endangered.
They stated, “There is a potential risk that lives of innocent Nigerians could be lost if proper spare parts, maintenance and storage programmes are not implemented and that the occurrence of an air crash would be devastating to Nigerians as well as erode the decade-long record of safety which the shareholders and directors of Arik Air fought hard to maintain whilst diminishing the value of the Arik Air Limited.”
They claimed that there had been a decline in the fleet of the airline from 28 aircraft to about four operational aircrafts as a result of alleged lack of expertise and technical capacity by Mr. Oluseye Opasanya (SAN), who AMCON appointed to manage the airline.
AMCON had on February 8, 2017 announced that it had taken over Arik Air Limited.
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Tanwa Ashiru
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