*Demands N50m damages
By; BAYO AKAMO, Ibadan
The All Youths Re-Oriented Initiative Of Nigeria (AYRION) has instituted a legal action against Dana Air over the failure of the airline company to airlift members of the group from Abuja to Lagos on April 28th, 2023 during which the President of the group and others missed “very important business appointment”.
In the legal action, on behalf of the AYRION, its President and the governorship candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) in Ogun State, Ambassador Olufemi Ajadi Oguntoyinbo is demanding N50 million damages from the airline.
According to the general writ summons filed in the Federal High Court of Nigeria in the Abeokuta Judicial Division siting in Abeokuta in the suit No: FHC/AB/CS/33/23, AYRION, stated “You are hereby commanded that within thirty days after the service of this writ on you, inclusive of the day of such, you do cause an appearance to be entered for you in this action at the said suit of the Incorporated Trustees of All Youth Re-Oriented Initiative of Nigeria.
Ambassador Ajadi maintained in the writ ” Take Notice that in default of your so doing, the claimant may proceed therein, and judgment may be given in your absence”.
Ambassador in the writ is seeking from Court, “A Declaration that the defendant breached the rights of all the passengers of the defendant including members of the Claimant that boarded her aircraft No. 9J 356 scheduled for nine (9:00pm) from Abuja to Lagos by not airlifting them as scheduled and delaying them to the extent that they without option passed a night and slept in a harsh and uncomfortable manner at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport boarding/waiting room without making any provision as to Hotel, water, food, soap and necessary toiletries
“An Order that the delay in the flight and the non-provisions or making of any arrangement as to a place to sleep, what to sleep on and other necessaries like water, food, soap and toiletries amounts to negligence and gross misconduct on the part of the Defendant.
“An Order of this Honourable Court recommending necessary disciplinary action to be taking against the respondent to serve as a deterrence to other airline operators by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority
An Order of this Honourable Court for general and exemplary damages against the defendant.
“That I know as a fact that this Honourable Court can recommend necessary disciplinary action to be taking against the respondent by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority and other regulating authorities to serve as a deterrence to other airline operators”.
New Nigerian recalled that Ajadi accused the Dana Air of failure to provide an aircraft to airlift him and other passengers from Abuja to Lagos, despite receiving payments for the service and reassuring passengers, adding that, ”this act of negligence from Dana Air prevented him from attending business meeting in Abeokuta on the said night, which not only cost him a financial loss but also dented his integrity, “as someone who cannot keep his promise”.
