By Joshua Tosin Ogunsakin 
The lawmaker representing Edo North, Senator Adams Oshiomhole has debunked the allegation by Air Peace that he disrupted operations at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, insisting instead that he exposed what he described as a troubling pattern of extortion, abuse, and impunity in Nigeria’s aviation sector.
Oshiomhole, a former Edo State Governor, addressed journalists on the issue in Abuja on Wednesday.
Armed with time-stamped videos, documents, and eyewitness accounts, he argued that he was not seeking special treatment but demanding justice for some passengers being shortchanged by the airline operators.
The drama began on Tuesday when Oshiomhole was denied boarding for a 6:50 a.m. Air Peace flight to Abuja — despite arriving at 6:10 a.m., well within the airline’s stated 30-minute check-in deadline.
He claimed his business class ticket had already been confirmed and his luggage checked in.
“I was there 40 minutes early. My aide, who had the same ticket, was allowed to board. I wasn’t. They simply told me the counter was closed. Then I watched others arrive after me and still get boarding passes,” he told reporters.
Worse still, Oshiomhole recounted seeing passengers who had bought tickets online at lower rates being denied boarding, only for Air Peace staff to sell new tickets on the spot at inflated prices.
“This Is Not Enforcement, It’s Extortion,” he said.
According to the senator, Air Peace staff told a woman with an infant — who arrived five minutes before 6:00 a.m. for a 6:30 a.m. flight, that she was late.
Her online ticket cost N146,000. She was told the flight was full and was offered a new one — at N109,100, making her total fare over N250,000 for a domestic one-hour flight.
“She cried and begged. But they ignored her.
“Meanwhile, they were selling fresh tickets for N250,000 to new passengers,” Oshiomhole alleged. “That’s not policy. That’s a racket.”
Far from disrupting operations, Oshiomhole claimed he refused preferential treatment that would have put him on the next flight while others, including women, children, and foreigners remained stranded.
“They offered to help me once they recognized me. I said no. I told them: ‘Don’t help me. Respect my rights — and the rights of every Nigerian.’ That’s what caused the commotion. The crowd was angry, not me.”
Oshiomhole said he intervened only after witnessing chaos erupt among dozens of stranded passengers,some yelling, others sobbing, while new travelers bought expensive tickets and boarded freely.
“This isn’t just about me. I’m privileged. But what about ordinary Nigerians? This is why people lose hope.
“This is why there’s anger in the land.
“If you push people too far, bullets won’t stop them.”
The senator called out the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority for failing in its oversight duties, accusing it of allowing airlines to make up rules midstream and prey on unsuspecting passengers.
Earlier, Air Peace issued a statement accusing Oshiomhole of disrupting airport operations after arriving late for Flight P47120, scheduled for 6:30 a.m.
“The airline insisted he had missed check-in deadlines.
But Oshiomhole dismissed the claims as a deflection from the real issue, the exploitation of paying customers and the erosion of trust in Nigeria’s aviation system.
“I checked in online the night before. I arrived by 6:00 a.m. The gate wasn’t closed.
“But I was still denied boarding. Meanwhile, people were buying tickets for N250,000 and being allowed through. Where is the justice in that?”
Calls for Urgent Reform
Oshiomhole’s press conference on Wednesday reignited national conversation around the mistreatment of airline passengers and the lack of regulatory enforcement.
“This is not a one-off experience. It’s systemic.
“And if someone like me can be treated like this, imagine what everyday citizens go through.
“The aviation sector needs reform.
“The NCAA must act. Government must act,” Oshiomhole said.
He concluded, “This country belongs to all of us. It cannot be a playground for the powerful and a battlefield for the powerless.”
Already, social media has been flooded with support for Oshiomhole’s stance.
Several Nigerians have started sharing similar stories, accusing airlines of manipulating policies to extort money while hiding behind vague rules.