Igbokwe Backs Oshiomhole, Says He Was Also A Victim Of Alleged Air Peace Extortion

Joe Igbokwe, a prominent member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has expressed his frustration over alleged extortion by domestic airlines, lending his support to Senator Adams Oshiomhole’s recent claims against Air Peace.

Igbokwe’s comments came in response to a public exchange on Wednesday between Senator Oshiomhole and the airline. The lawmaker had accused Air Peace of deliberately extorting passengers, a charge the airline denied, instead accusing Oshiomhole of disrupting operations at Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal 1 (Zulu Hall).

Oshiomhole alleged that despite checking in online for a flight from Lagos to Abuja, he and several other passengers were barred from boarding. According to him, only those who paid significantly more for emergency bookings were allowed on the flight.

Narrating his experience, Oshiomhole said, “I had my ticket and was ready to board when I was told I couldn’t. Then someone recognized me and alerted a senior manager. He came out and said, ‘Oga, let’s see how I can sort you out.’ I declined, saying I wasn’t looking for special treatment.”

Weighing in, Igbokwe took to Facebook to share Oshiomhole’s post, describing such incidents as a “recurring decimal” in Nigeria’s aviation sector. He recalled his own encounter with the airline during a trip to Enugu, saying, “We joke too much in this country. What His Excellency Adams Oshiomhole uncovered has been happening repeatedly for years. I’ve been a victim myself and even made my experience public.”