Arik Air Halts All Domestic Flights After Being Raided

Arik Air

Nigerian airline Arik Air on Thursday ceased all domestic flights after the airline was reportedly raided by government officials over corruption charges.

‘Arik Air cancelled its flights Thursday after the raid on its offices that saw men rampaging through its maintenance hangar near the airport’s runway. Arik managing director Chris Ndulue blamed the federal airport authority for the raid and called it a “calculated attempt to punish the airline and tarnish its image.”

Arik Air’s top executives told journalists that employees of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria raided its operations at Lagos’ Murtala Muhammed International Airport and gave those waiting on its flights nearby conflicting and disparaging information about the airline. The airport authority later denied its employees were involved, blaming the raid on unions upset over unpaid salaries.’

Joe Obi, a spokesman for the Aviation Ministry, later told The Associated Press that Arik Air’s allegations were “completely untrue, unfounded and malicious.” He said Arik was using the disruption of their flights as an excuse to try and escape paying money they owed to the federal government.

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Image: Flickr [markyharky]