Air Peace has clarified its position regarding the arrest of Joe Ajaero, the National President of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), by the Department of State Services (DSS), stating that the airline is not involved in the recent actions taken against him.
In a statement released by Air Peace spokesperson, Omotade Makinwa, the airline acknowledged that it had initially filed a petition against Ajaero in September last year after its operations were disrupted by the NLC in Owerri. However, Makinwa emphasized that the dispute was resolved amicably, and the airline had withdrawn its petition well before Ajaero’s arrest.
Makinwa explained that the Nigerian Police chose to act on the original petition, leading to the recent arrest. Despite this, Air Peace expressed concern over the negative publicity surrounding the incident, reiterating that it does not reflect the current relationship between the airline and the NLC.
“We express deep concern over recent media reports regarding the arrest of the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in connection to a petition filed by the airline in September 2023. This development, which has led to negative publicity, does not reflect the current relationship between Air Peace and the NLC,” the statement read.
The statement further clarified that the initial petition was filed in response to a disruption of Air Peace’s operations by the NLC on May 3, 2023, as part of a broader conflict with the Imo State government. Although Air Peace was not involved in the dispute between the NLC and the Imo State government, the airline suffered significant financial losses and service disruptions as a result.
Despite these challenges, Makinwa reiterated that Air Peace and the NLC have since moved past the incident, highlighting the positive working relationship that now exists between the two organizations.
