The Federal Government on Thursday took over the management of Arik Airline as part of the desperate bid to save the financially distressed carrier afloat.
The Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), which announced the development, said the decision to intervene in the Arik Air crisis underscores the government’s commitment to instil sanity in the country’s aviation sector and to prevent a major catastrophe in the country.
“The development will afford Arik Airlines, which is the largest local carrier in the country, to go back to regular and undisrupted operations, avoid job losses, protect investors and stakeholder funds as well as ensure safety and stability in the already challenged aviation sector,” AMCON spokesperson, Jude Nwauzor, said.
Under the new arrangement, the airline would be managed by Roy Ilegbodu, a veteran aviation expert, under the receivership of Oluseye Opasanya, a senior advocate of Nigeria.
Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had on Wednesday visited the airline’s headquarters in Lagos and held a brief meeting with Arik Chairman, Joseph Arumemi-Ikhide. Aggrieved passengers had also Wednesday afternoon besieged the airline’s office within the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos over non-refund of their ticket fares. No fewer than 20 passengers spent over three hours at the office of the embattled airline demanding for a refund of their fares following the cancellation of their flights.
Olisemeka Soni