Air Peace has firmly dismissed the allegations made by Senator Adams Oshiomhole, representing Edo North, that he was extorted and unjustly denied boarding on a scheduled flight. The airline clarified that the former Edo State governor arrived late for his 6:30 a.m. flight and failed to check in online.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday, Air Peace’s Operations Manager, Ayodeji Adeyemi, labeled Oshiomhole’s accusations as “false allegations.” He stated that the senator did not arrive at the airport on time and was seeking to board the flight after the boarding process had been concluded.
“Oshiomhole has made several allegations, and we stand by the fact that they are false,” Adeyemi declared. “He came late for his flight — that’s already been established, and he didn’t deny it. He came to the airport requesting to board when the flight had already closed.”
Addressing the senator’s claim that he checked in online, Adeyemi pointed out that the airline’s backend system did not reflect any online check-in by Oshiomhole. He challenged the senator to provide proof of a boarding pass if he indeed completed the process.
“He never checked in online,” Adeyemi emphasized. “He only tried to sway public opinion by showing his phone on TV. If he truly checked in online, he should produce the boarding pass issued to him. Till now, he has not done that.”
Adeyemi added that Oshiomhole’s name did not appear on the airline’s manifest or checked-in list, reinforcing the claim that no online check-in had occurred.
Providing a clearer picture of the sequence of events, Adeyemi noted that Oshiomhole arrived at the airport after 6:00 a.m., which was past the check-in cut-off time of 45 minutes before departure.
“Our check-in closes 45 minutes before departure — that’s standard,” he explained. “The flight was for 6:30 a.m., and at the time he arrived, the door of the aircraft was already shut.”
Responding to a viral video that showed an Air Peace staff member speaking with the senator in a quiet section of the terminal, Adeyemi clarified that the staff member was simply explaining the next steps, given Oshiomhole’s missed flight.
“Nobody cornered him,” he stated. “Given his status, the official only tried to explain that since he had missed the flight, the next one was at 8:30 a.m., and to board that, he would need to change his ticket and pay the appropriate fees.”
On the allegation of extortion, Adeyemi strongly denied any wrongdoing, noting that what the senator referred to as extortion was in fact a routine airline policy applicable to all passengers who miss their flights and seek rebooking.
